The Tánaiste and Social Protection Minister says combating fraud in the welfare system will be a key focus of her department next year.

Joan Burton says she will be making extensive use of a number of Gardaí deployed to her department.

Recently 20 gardaí were deployed to the Department of Social Protection to focus on fraud.

Ms Burton says the message to go out from now on is that her department is not an easy or soft touch when it comes to fraud.

She says a key focus next year will be those getting on a plane somewhere in Eastern Europe and travelling to Ireland to pick up social welfare.

Ms Burton says there is also an investment in new technology to detect computer based fraud and scams and this will be a focus of the garda officers seconded to her department.

And she says if the amounts are significant then people will be taken before the courts.