Welfare fraud - Welcome savings

JUST as soaring unemployment encourages the black economy, social welfare fraud can provoke a sense of outrage among legitimate, tax-paying businesses.

It is deeply frustrating for a business to lose work because they are undercut by someone who does not pay taxes but is supported by social welfare payments. Many businesses have closed, and jobs have been lost, because they cannot compete on this uneven pitch.

Just like any other form of theft, this is unacceptable, so the news that savings of €37m were made last year when welfare abuse was uncovered is very welcome.

This was achieved through inter-departmental co-operation and much more might be achieved if a national identity card system was introduced. This might help fight the bizarre situation where, in a state with a population of 4.58 million people, there are 7.2 million personal public service numbers in circulation.

These actions are entirely justified but they would carry even greater legitimacy if investigations at the other end of the spectrum led to court proceedings.