The public purse in Northern Ireland is being cheated out of over £30 million a year through benefit fraud, it has been revealed.
Northern Ireland Social Development Minister John Spellar said it was totally unacceptable that money that could be spent on essential services was being ripped off.
Those responsible for the fraud would be rooted out, he said.
The minister spoke out as he launched a major advertising campaign by the Social Security Agency.
The campaign is aimed at driving home the message that benefit fraud is not a harmless fiddle but a totally intolerable drain on much needed public resources.
Mr Spellar said the new campaign would highlight that the British government was actively pursuing anyone setting out to fraudulently claim benefits.
