State’s bid to recoup bogus pay-outs falls by 5%

LESS money is being recouped from fraudulent welfare claims despite the spend by the Department of Social and Family Affairs increasing by €1.2 billion in two years.

By its own estimates the department is reclaiming 5% less of the money it paid out to bogus welfare recipients than it was 24 months ago.

Yesterday, the department announced that its anti-fraud measures had resulted in €200 million being raked back in the first six months of this year.