Mobile voice checks to catch out welfare cheats

WELFARE cheats will be caught out under a mobile phone voice recognition system which will force dole recipients to sign on with their handsets.

Surprise check calls will be made to welfare claimants where they must answer a number of questions from an automated voice tagging system. If they fail to answer the phone three times, hang up, or their voice is not recognised, a text message will order them to visit their local dole office immediately.

Social Protection Minister Eamon O Cuív, whose department will roll out the system in January, denied yesterday that the scheme was a “nanny state” law.