asked the Minister for Social Welfare the number of persons employed in his Department who are specially charged with investigation into abuses of the social welfare system.

16.

asked the Minister for Social Welfare the number of prosecutions for offences under the social welfare system in each of the years 1973, 1974, 1975 and 1976; and the amount of moneys recovered in each year.

17.

asked the Minister for Social Welfare the number of civil actions against persons for abuses of the social welfare system in each of the years 1973, 1974, 1975 and 1976; and the amount of moneys recovered in each year.

With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 15, 16 and 17 together and, as the reply is in the form of a tabular statement, to circulate it with the Official Report.

Following is the statement:

All officers of my Department must be, and are, vigilant in relation to the detection of abuses or possible abuses of the social welfare system, but 44 officers are employed specially on investigations into these matters. As regards the number of prosecutions and civil proceedings the position is as follows:

(a) The prosecutions shown are criminal proceedings for breaches of the provisions of the Social Welfare Acts or regulations made thereunder and do not result in cash recovery