Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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To protect the integrity of the social welfare system and to ensure that the right person is paid the right amount of money at the right time, all my department’s schemes, including One Parent Family Payment, are subject to on-going control reviews and eligibility checks.

During 2023, just over 28,000 control reviews were carried out on the One Parent Family Payment scheme. To end of February 2024 just over 4,600 control reviews have been carried out. Overpayments arising from these reviews are set out below.

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.

Where an overpayment is raised, the Department makes every effort to recover the amount overpaid. Recovery can be sought over a period without imposing undue financial hardship on the customer. The Department will work with the customer and consider personal circumstances in determining a repayment plan.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 240 and 241 together.

Child Benefit is a monthly payment made to families with children up to the age of 16 years. Currently, the payment continues to be paid in respect of children until their 18th birthday where they are in full-time education, or have a disability.

In Budget 2024, the Government decided to extend the payment of Child Benefit to 18-year-olds who are in full-time education or have a disability. This was one of my key priorities in the Budget.

With many children now starting primary school at age 5, together with the increase in pupils doing transition year, there has been an increase in the number of 18-year-olds still in secondary education. I believe the extension of Child Benefit to 18-year-olds in full-time education is a long-term change for the better and will support families across Ireland into the future.

This is a significant change to the Child Benefit scheme. It requires technical and operational changes before implementation.

We had originally provided that the change would take effect from September this year. However, I am very pleased that we are now able to bring this important change in from an earlier date. The legislation required to do that was enacted earlier this month. As a result, the measure will be brought in from the first of May. In the region of 60,000 children are expected to benefit from this measure annually. The additional estimated cost of bringing the commencement date forward to May is €21.6 million.

In the case of a child who has already turned 18 and who is still in full-time education, Child Benefit will be payable again from May 2024 up to their 19th birthday, or until they leave full-time education, whichever is sooner.

As the measure comes into effect from 1st May, where a child turns 18 in the meantime, there will be no payment for any intervening period up to May 2024, which is the usual approach for changes to the social welfare system that take effect from a future date.

I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputy.

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Invalidity Pension (IP) is a payment for people who are permanently incapable of work because of illness or incapacity and for no other reason and who satisfy the pay related social insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions.

My Department received an application for IP for the person concerned on 20 October 2022. His application was refused on 30 January 2023 on the grounds that the medical conditions for the scheme were not satisfied. The person in question appealed the decision to the Social Welfare Appeals Office (SWAO). An Appeals Officer disallowed the appeal on 15 May 2023. Further medical evidence submitted on behalf of the person concerned and at an oral hearing was taken into account by another Appeals Officer, who, having fully considered all the evidence, found that the person in question did meet the medical conditions for IP and allowed the appeal by way of summary decision on 23 January 2024.

Along with satisfying the medical conditions for IP claimants must also satisfy the contribution conditions for the scheme. Claimants must have at least 260 (5 years) paid PRSI contributions (class A, E, H or S) since entering social insurance and 48 contributions paid or credited in the last or second last complete contribution year before the relevant date of their Invalidity Pension claim.

According to the Department’s records, there were no qualifying contributions paid or credited during the relevant periods that could be taken into account to establish an entitlement to IP. Accordingly, the application has been disallowed.

The person concerned was notified of the decision on 19 February 2024, along with the reasons for the decision and regarding his right of review and appeal. The Social Welfare Appeals Office has not received a request to appeal this decision.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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My Department is committed to providing a quality service to all its customers. This includes ensuring that applications are processed and that decisions on entitlement are made as quickly as possible.

Where a customer’s appeal is successful, every effort is made to promptly implement the decision of the Appeals Officer (AO) following notice of the decision being received from the Social Welfare Appeals Office.

The Disability Allowance section received confirmation from the AO on 11 December 2023 that the appeal was allowed, and the person concerned was awarded Disability Allowance with effect from 24 May 2023. The first payment is due for collection on 20 March 2024. The person concerned was notified of this decision in writing on 27 February 2024.

Arrears of payment due from 24 May 2023 to 19 March 2024, less any deductions for other welfare payments received during the period, has been calculated and the person was notified in writing on the 15 March 2024.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.