Probe into prisoners claiming dole in jail

CLAIMS that inmates at Limerick Prison have been receiving dole payments while locked up, are under investigation by the Department of Social Protection.

A source at the prison said: “These guys, entering in the custody of the state, are getting their brothers, or friends, or whoever, to ‘sign on’ for them.

“Most are at it. That’s the latest scam now. We’re feeding and housing these lads and we find out we’re paying for their dole as well. It’s some stroke they’re pulling”.

When contacted, a spokesperson for the Department of Social Protection vowed those involved in the scam would be investigated.

“The department is now obtaining prison data on a much more regular basis, which will result in claims being stopped as soon as possible after the person is imprisoned,” a spokesperson said.

The department also warned that, any member of the public helping jailed criminals receive the welfare payments, could be arrested and prosecuted before the criminal courts.

In a statement, the spokesperson confirmed the department receives data for social welfare fraud control purposes from the Irish Prison Service on a number of occasions annually and this is then matched against the department’s systems.

“The Irish Prison Service data is used to identify cases where prisoners are receiving a payment from the Department of Social Protection while in custody. In 2010, a total of 1,992 such cases were matched and identified and were referred for investigation.”

The spokesperson said that on previous occasions the “vast majority of cases referred for investigation were not fraudulently claiming social welfare payments”, but that “a portion of those matched cases have resulted in overpayments”.

New claimants for Jobseeker’s payments are paid exclusively through post offices, according to the Dept of Social Protection.

“This requires them [claimants] to attend the post office each week, thus confirming their residency in the country. Photographic identification is also required at the post office.

“An overpayment is assessed for the period that they were not entitled to the payment and the recovery is followed up by the relevant section of the department”.

Cases where a person collects a welfare payment in respect of another who is in prison, are referred by social welfare inspectors to the Gardaí for follow-up investigation and possible criminal prosecution under the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001.