Gardaí to join battle against social welfare fraud

A crackdown on social welfare fraud involving gardaí for the first time will begin this summer and will see members of the force scan airports, ports, and other areas for those abusing the dole system.

The Cabinet agreed yesterday to legislation which will initially see 20 gardaí seconded to the Department of Social Protection and operating in Dublin, Dundalk, Donegal, Monaghan, Longford, Galway, Cork, Limerick, Navan, and Sligo.

Social Protection Minister Joan Burton has already said gardaí would man checkpoints on roads and in estates early in the morning to spot welfare claimants who are actually on the way to work but not declaring it.