120 caught flying in to collect welfare

Airport crackdowns on suspected welfare cheats are to be stepped up after 122 people were stopped, saving the State €1.3m in false claims.

Social Protection Minister Joan Burton has signalled that extra detection officers are to be deployed at more entry points.

Airports have been the focus of checks on suspected bogus claimants since a beefing-up of the law 18 months ago in a bid to halt “welfare tourism”.