The European Anti-Fraud Office, Olaf, is investigating five cases of potential fraud in Ireland. The ongoing cases involve the possible misuse of agricultural funds, cigarette smuggling and other types of customs offences.
An Olaf spokesman said yesterday that he could reveal no additional details about the investigations in the Republic as the agency was bound by confidentiality rules.
But the agency's 2006 annual report, which was published yesterday, shows that two new cases were opened last year in the Republic and three investigations initiated during 2005 are still continuing.
The overall level of suspected misuse of EU funds remained largely unchanged last year compared with 2005, Franz-Herman Bruener, chief of the EU anti-fraud office Olaf, told a joint news conference with anti-fraud commissioner Siim Kallas.
The number of financial irregularities - which do not necessarily involve crime - stood at 12,092, involving about €1.16 billion. Of that, suspected fraud involved €323.4 million, according to the annual report.
One of the fraud cases highlighted by the agency in the annual report involves a suspected scam by several members of the Committee of the Regions based in Brussels.
The officials at the EU institution attempted to bolster their salaries by claiming their residence was based in another EU state to Belgium. Olaf has passed the details of five officials to the Belgian judicial authorities.
However, Mr Kallas said a persistently high number of irregularities did not mean misuse was on the rise.
Rather, co-operation with the bloc's 27 member states on detecting them was improving, he said.
"A high number of reported irregularities can be a good indicator of thorough and effective controls," he added.