More than 400 reports of allegations of welfare fraud were documented in Clare last year.
Figures obtained through a Freedom of Information request show more than 40 percent of these were alleging people were working and claiming benefits simultaneously in a way not permitted by law.
The Department of Social Protection says it did not begin keeping records of welfare fraud reports in the form of county breakdowns until 2020.
Last year, of the 409 reports made to the Department, 171 of them related to working and claiming at the same time unlawfully.
65 were classified as ‘cohabitation’ complaints, 46 were related to not declaring means and 40 were regarding reports of claimants being outside of the jurisdiction.
Nine reports in this county related to false identification issues.
Up to the end of August this year, 271 complaints have been received, with 90 of these relating to working and claiming also.
52 relate to cohabitation and another 30 are associated with those from outside the Republic of Ireland.
The Department has told Clare FM it examines all reports of suspected fraud received, and that where evidence of wrongdoing is encountered, a referral to their Special Investigation Unit is made.
