Ms Niamh O'Donoghue:

The salary overpayments are due to issues that have arisen in the operation of the shared HR services. We have a very large number of staff, a large number of whom are operating on the front line. The number of staff absences in the Department is probably one of the highest in the Civil Service. Payroll overpayments are primarily due to absences due to sick leave. The build-up of overpayments has occurred in large measure because of the changes in sick leave pay policy and time lags in reporting absences and a return to work. This has caused problems. Sometimes the payroll can be run before a notification hits the system that somebody is absent. This is a critical issue for us. An assistant secretary from my Department is leading an interdepartmental working group which is working with PeoplePoint to identify the underlying causes and take mitigating action.