Probe into suspected social welfare fraud

Suspected use of false names to claim social welfare has been discovered following a probe into a Traveller training centre in Donegal.

Nine people were believed to have registered for courses but used other identities to claim payments from the Department of Social Protection.

The department has passed a file to the gardaí and charges have been brought in some cases. The investigation is continuing.

“[The department] did undertake and conduct a comprehensive investigation with regard to individuals using false identities whilst attending a training centre. It involved a total of nine individuals.

“As any investigation may come before the courts the department is not in a position to make any further comment nor can it comment on individual cases,” it said.

The centre falls under the remit of Donegal Education and Training Board (ETB).

The Department of Education was alerted.

In July, an internal department memo asked Donegal ETB for an update on the issue and any potential loss.

However, it is understood that because the people involved used correct names when enrolling and were entitled to take up places with their true identities, there was no fraud likely to have been committed against the education bodies.

The investigation remains with the Department of Social Protection. Earlier this year, that department revealed the details of its recent anti-fraud efforts.

This included the results of Operation Filter which tried to identify cases where fraudulent identities had been used to claim benefits. This resulted in the stopping of 36 payments to certain people and the department estimated it saved €550,000 of which more than half came from the suspension of payments.

The department estimated it saved €669m through its anti-fraud measures in 2012 which was an increase of more than €24m on 2011.