Hollow ring to welfare fraud crackdown

THE claim by Social and Family Affairs Minister Mary Coughlan that welfare fraud is being exposed (Irish Examiner, May 5) rings hollow when one hears of the corruption in Fianna Fáil and the outpourings from the Mahon Tribunal.

New anti-fraud measures have been drawn up with a view to saving the taxpayer millions in lost revenue.

Is this the same Mary Coughlan who wasted €6,000 of taxpayers’ money on St Patrick’s Day festival junkets? Meanwhile her cohorts in the Government wasted even more of our money.

I am well aware that two wrongs do not make a right. Look at how badly Ms Coughlan treated widows and widowers, depriving them of entitlements they had paid for. It was only when we all cried shame on RTÉ’s Liveline that the Government did a u-turn.

Environment Minister Martin Cullen, meanwhile, arrogantly wasted €52,000 on e-voting.

Office before honour appears to be the password of this Government.

Maire Bean Uí Corcoráin,

Lissadell,

Fountainstown,

Co Cork.