Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 7 December 2022
81. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 406 of 29 November 2022, the criteria which are considered before a decision to write off amounts due to her Department as a result of overpayments of the contributory and non-contributory old age pension; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61254/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraOverpayments of social welfare assistance and benefit payments arise as a consequence of decisions made under the relevant sections of the Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act, 2005 (as amended). Customers who have been overpaid social welfare have a liability to refund the overpayment as they have been in receipt of a payment to which they were not entitled. Some payments can issue where a customer is deceased and there has been a delay in notifying the Department.
Where an overpayment is raised, the Department is required to make every effort to recover the amount overpaid. Recovery of the debt owed will be pursued using all the debt recovery mechanisms available to the Department
The Department may write off debt where, because of the age of the debt or otherwise, there is no realistic possibility of recovery of the debt through the estate of the deceased or through a third party institution, or where the value of the debt is such that recovery is not considered economic.
I hope that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
