Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 17 February 2021
509. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Social Protection the amount paid and the number of persons on the pandemic unemployment payment to date; the amount that has been overpaid; the number of persons who have been overpaid; the systems in place to assist persons to repay possible overpayments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8837/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraTo date, just under 894,000 people have applied for the Covid Pandemic Unemployment Payment. This week, my Department issued payments valued at €144.6 million to over 477,000 people who are currently being paid under the scheme. Since the onset of the pandemic almost €6 billion has been spent on the Pandemic Unemployment Payment.
In line with all other social welfare schemes, where a revised decision on entitlement to the Pandemic Unemployment Payment is made with retrospective effect, any amount overpaid is repayable to the Department. Typically, such overpayments relate to deliberate misclaiming by a customer or new facts or evidence come to light since the claim was made. A person who is dissatisfied with a revised decision may either seek a review of or appeal against the decision.
There is an obligation on my Department to actively seek to recover all overpayments. When repaying overpayments, customers have the flexibility of payment in full, or by regular or instalment payments, by agreement with the Department, taking into consideration their ability to repay, any relevant facts or circumstances, and the amount of the overpayment and how it happened.
To the end of December 2020 almost €6m in respect of overpayments of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment has been repaid to the Department from almost 7,000 customers, using various methods including payment by debit card, standing order, by cheque or directly to the Department’s bank account. Direct Debit repayment plans can also be facilitated, if requested by the customer.
I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
