My Department is currently pursuing recovery of overpayments under the early retirement scheme from 968 persons. In the majority of cases, the overpayments arose because participants in the scheme, or their spouses or partners in joint management cases, were receiving contributory or non-contributory old age pensions which were not being offset, as EU regulations require, against their pensions under the early retirement scheme.
It is a condition of the scheme that on reaching the age of 65, participants and their spouses or partners in joint management cases, must apply to the Department of Social and Family Affairs for either the contributory or the non-contributory old age pension. If a pension is awarded it must be offset against the payment under the early retirement scheme. Participants in the scheme are made aware of this condition when they join, and they are required to notify my Department if they or their partners in joint management are awarded an old age pension.
Under its obligations as a paying agency on behalf of the European Union, my Department is obliged to pursue such overpayments. However, it is the policy of my Department to do everything possible to minimise any hardship to the persons concerned.