Welfare fraud tip-offs double over last year

THERE were over 2,700 anonymous tip-offs to a Government department over suspected welfare fraud in the first three months of this year, more than double the figure for the same period last year.

Just one-in-five of the tip-offs yielded results.

The figures were revealed yesterday by Social Protection Minister Éamon O Cuív who also admitted he was looking at new measures which would see welfare payments cut or removed from people able to work or attend training courses but who refuse to do so.