Social Welfare Fraud

620. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection the arrangements with other countries to check if persons in receipt of payments from his Department are not in employment outside this jurisdiction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45254/26]

658. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection whether any guidance, staff training programme, operational protocol or technical system has been introduced since 2022 to assist departmental staff in identifying forged, AI-generated or digitally manipulated documentation submitted in support of social welfare claims; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36869/26]

659. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection whether his Department has conducted any internal risk assessment, review or analysis regarding the use of artificial intelligence tools in the creation of forged identity, residency, employment, income or supporting documentation submitted in support of social welfare claims; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36870/26]

660. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection whether his Department uses any external forensic document analysis service, AI-detection software, biometric verification tool or digital authentication system when assessing suspected fraudulent social welfare claims; the annual cost of such systems or services since 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36871/26]

661. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of social welfare claims refused, suspended or terminated in each year from 2021 to 2026 due to concerns regarding forged, falsified or fraudulent documentation, where such information is available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36872/26]

662. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection whether his Department exchanges data or intelligence with An Garda Síochána, the Revenue Commissioners, financial institutions or other State bodies for the purpose of detecting forged or fraudulent documentation submitted in support of social welfare claims; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36873/26]

663. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection whether any increase has been identified in the submission of digitally altered or suspected AI-generated documentation in support of social welfare claims in the past three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36874/26]

664. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection whether his Department maintains statistics on the number of suspected forged-document cases referred onward to An Garda Síochána for criminal investigation in each year since 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36875/26]

665. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection whether any dedicated unit, team or officer within his Department has responsibility for oversight, monitoring or investigation of forged or AI-generated documentation submitted in support of social welfare claims; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36876/26]

666. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection whether his Department maintains any internal classification, flag, incident category or reporting mechanism relating specifically to suspected AI-generated, digitally manipulated or synthetically altered documentation submitted in support of social welfare claims; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36880/26]

566. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection the procedures in place to detect the use of forged or AI generated documents submitted in support of social welfare claims; whether his Department has experienced an increase in suspected fraud involving forged or AI generated documentation in the past three years; the number of cases referred to investigation annually since 2021; a…

192. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Social Protection the actions being undertaken by his Department to prevent and detect fraud and abuse within the social protection system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31477/26]

659. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason text messages from a Namibian phone number are sometimes used to verify online logins to MyGovID; if he accepts that many people are concerned about the legitimacy of the text messages as a result; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21582/26]

101. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of fraud cases with social protection payments detected in each of the past five years. [6636/26]

102. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection if he is aware of cases in which a person has fraudulently claimed carer's allowance for another person who was unaware of the claim made in their name; the checks which are made with the GP who signed the form, that they are the persons own GP. [6637/26]

691. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated level of fraud and error in 2025 for jobseeker’s, disability, and child benefit schemes, as reported in his Department’s annual report. [5681/26]

1606. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Social Protection if the Government can reconcile the “Welfare Cheats Cheat Us All” campaign with an amnesty that forgives employer welfare fraud. [2904/26]

277. Deputy Catherine Ardagh asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of people convicted of welfare fraud in the years 2020 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60883/25]

385. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection whether officials within her Department are authorised to share information received from members of An Garda Síochána seconded to the Department, particularly information relating to ongoing or potential criminal investigations, with other public bodies; whether such disclosures are governed by a specific legal basis under the gener…

386. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection whether her Department has a memorandum of understanding or any formal agreement in place with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions governing the transmission of case files or information from the Department to the DPP; whether officials within her Department are authorised, under any legislation, formal policy, or agree…

329. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection to request an audit of a company’s (details supplied) 2023 declarations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52721/25]

335. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection his views on recent reports (details supplied) that the child benefit payment system is subject to abuse by non-resident nationals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52853/25]

336. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons from 2018 to date who have had child benefit payments ended because of fraud or because they were found to have misled his Department with respect to compliance and eligibility rules; the estimated cost to the taxpayer involving such cases in terms of monies that were paid out that should not have been paid out …

116. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of active cases of social welfare fraud investigation currently ongoing in each county, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50827/25]

28. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if, given increasing public concern and anecdotal reports, he is aware of instances of individuals who have claimed asylum in the Republic of Ireland who are also travelling to and from the United Kingdom, including Northern Ireland, after having made similar claims in that jurisdiction; if there is any evidence t…