Govt plans more than 600k 'fraud-proof' social welfare cards in 2013

The Taoiseach Enda Kenny has said 600,000 new biometric cards will be issued by the Department of Social Protection next year.

It is part of a concerted effort by Government to crack down on social welfare fraud.

Mr Kenny made the comments at the Cork Chamber of Commerce annual dinner last night.

The Taoiseach told the audience that the Government is planning to strengthen the system to prevent fraud.

Mr Kenny said: "Last year the Department of Social Protection said to me and to their minister that they were only able to produce about 4,000 cards that would be fraud-proof, biometric and so on.

"Well next year, we are going to produce over 600,000 of these. We are not going to have a situation where person X might sign on in one exchange and sign on in another at the same time, because all that is going to end."