Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

People on the front line tell me that overpayments to clients are taken very seriously and acted upon almost immediately. Clients are asked to put a repayment plan in place or face significant consequences but the cumulative figure has increased to 53% for staff within the Department who have been overpaid and who do not have recovery plans in place. The example the Department is setting to clients is a huge concern for me. Those clients are working in challenging and sensitive conditions and sometimes are not aware of certain things but they are required to meet overpayments. I accept that they have to be dealt with appropriately but the Department must lead from the front in this regard and a cumulative figure that suggests it is not being dealt with sends out the wrong message.