Welfare checks for pandemic payment fraud targeted Eastern Europe flights

Dublin Airport during the Covid 19 Pandemic. Picture: Stephen Collins

The Department of Social Protection has left itself open to accusations of profiling nationalities after it emerged that the vast majority of its airport checks for people abusing welfare benefits like the Pandemic Unemployment Payment during the Covid-19 pandemic were aimed at flights to eastern Europe.

The Department authorised officials to hold checkpoints ahead of 30 separate flights from Dublin Airport between 1 April and 13 June.