Social Welfare officers are joining gardai at checkpoints across the country to help detect and prevent fraud and abuse of the social welfare system.
Investigators from the Department of Social Protection regularly accompany gardai who operate the Multi Agency Vehicle Checks (MAVCs) alongside members from Revenue and Customs.
The five offences that drivers are being checked for at the MAVC checkpoints include; vehicle tax evasion, road traffic irregularities, road safety irregularities, Revenue Customs irregularities and suspected social welfare fraud.
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The purpose of officials from Social Welfare joining these checkpoints is to detect people working while also claiming unemployment payments.
The main group that is generally targeted in these operations is people working in the transport sector, such as those on their way to work in "commercial vehicles, haulage and taxis".
A Department of Social Protection spokesman said: "As part of a number of initiatives to detect and prevent fraud and abuse of the social welfare system, the Department of Social Protection participates in Multi Agency Vehicle Checks (MAVCs) on an ongoing basis throughout the country. These MAVCs have been a feature of the Department’s control strategy for a number of years. In addition to the detection aspect, they also provide an important deterrent effect.
"MAVCs are set up by An Garda Síochana and planned in consultation with other participating agencies including this Department, Revenue and Customs. They focus on vehicle tax evasion, road traffic or road safety irregularities, Revenue Customs irregularities, or suspected social welfare fraud. The timing and location of these checks vary with checks carried out on different days of the week and for different durations.
"The main duty of Social Welfare Investigative staff who participate in these checkpoints is the detection and prevention of fraud and abuse of the social welfare system and special powers are provided for in Social Welfare Legislation for this purpose.
"The focus of such enquiries is generally related to individuals on their way to work including in commercial vehicles, haulage, taxi, and the transport sectors. Where enquiries adduce that irregularities have occurred these are the subject of further investigation."
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