THE DEPARTMENT of Social and Family Affairs is targeting savings of €25 million by curbing fraud, the Dáil was told.
Minister for Social and Family Affairs Mary Hanafin said that in the context of increased expenditure on welfare payments, it was important to increase the department's control activities to keep fraud and errors to a minimum and to eliminate incorrect payments.
"Particular emphasis will be placed on ensuring that people on the live register demonstrate that they are actively seeking employment and that they engage fully with the employment action plan and other opportunities to re-enter the labour market,'' said Ms Hanafin.
She intended to generate further savings of €4.8 million from the introduction of efficiency measures by the department and the agencies under its remit. Spending on advertising and public awareness activities would be reduced, she added.Many people now accessed information on the department's website and citizen information centres.
Ms Hanafin said the department would be able to save over €3 million this year on a more gradual deployment of information technology and e-government related projects. Ms Hanafin said the personal advocacy service would not be introduced this year, generating savings of €0.5 million.
With the exception of a new centre in Killeshandra, Co Cavan, which was approved earlier this year, no new family resource centres would open this year and there would be no increase in staff. Those measures would save €2.5 million.
A further €0.4 million would be saved by deferring refurbishing offices of the family mediation service.
Ms Hanafin said that savings of €165,000 would be achieved mainly through reductions in advertising by the Combat Poverty Agency.
A wide-ranging review of the agency was almost completed and would inform decisions on its future, said Ms Hanafin.
Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism Martin Cullen revealed that €5.978 million would be saved by his department this year.
These were: €3 million in capital programmes for cultural projects; €2 million split mainly among agencies in grant programmes and an additional €978,000 in savings in administration costs and other efficiencies across the department, the National Gallery and agencies.
