Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 3 May 2023
261. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) is being asked to repay a welfare payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20854/23]
View answerDisability Allowance (DA) is a weekly allowance paid to people with a specified disability who are aged 16 or over and under the age of 66. This disability must be expected to last for at least one year and the allowance is subject to a medical assessment, means test and Habitual Residency conditions.
According to the Department’s records, the person concerned was out of the State for the periods from 8 March 2019 to 2 June 2019, 8 June 2019 to 10 October 2019 and 17 December 2019 to 26 December 2019.
It was decided that they had no entitlement to DA for the periods from 27 March 2019 to 4 June 2019, 12 June 2019 to 15 October 2019 and 18 December 2019 to 31 December 2019 as the person in question, was out of the State. An overpayment of DA was assessed against this individual for these periods.
They were notified in writing of this decision and of their right to request a review and/or to appeal the decision on 23 January 2020. The person concerned has been repaying this debt through weekly deductions from his Disability Allowance payment.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
