The Dundalk-based Garda Immigration Border Control Unit has uncovered a loophole whereby immigrants who travel frequently between north and south, and between Ireland and Britain, have been receiving benefits in the two jurisdictions.

"During the course of our duties we came across incidents where people were discovered to be making similar claims in both Ireland and the UK, " said sergeant Gerry Connor, who heads the unit. "We have found individuals in our system who are no longer living here but continue to receive payments in the south."

After taking several immigrants into custody at Dundalk garda station, officers uncovered a pattern of frequent travel between Ireland and Britain. They also found that parents of children born in Ireland were claiming benefits in this country and then travelling to Northern Ireland and Britain to claim similar benefits.

"As the benefits are directly debited to bank accounts and do not have to be collected in person, it is possible to collect them in both Ireland and the UK, " said Connor.

"Those involved travel every few weeks to Ireland and withdraw the benefits that accrued in their bank accounts."

Set up in October 2004, the Garda Immigration Control Unit comprises seven officers whose aim is to prevent illegal immigrants from entering the country through Northern Ireland.

"While there are illegal immigrants, there are hundreds of legitimate non-nationals coming into Ireland from countries all over the world who are perfectly legitimate and have documentation and we have no difficulty with that, " said Connor. "The Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs has its own inspectors who follow up on anything that we may detect and we work in close cooperation with each other to prevent this fraud."

A spokeswoman for the department said: "The prevention of fraud and abuse of the social welfare system is an integral part of our dayto-day work. All staff engaged in claims processing are concerned with preventing and detecting fraud and abuse.