Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The way the current situation works is there is no overlapping because all the schemes that are based in the Bill have a legislative basis and we share data. I will use the Deputy as an example for argument's sake. He cannot work in Ireland and in the UK subscribing a contribution in the same week. There is no overlap around anything else that requires a contribution. The winter fuel allowance in Ireland or the UK does not require a contribution: it is an additional add-on and does not have a legislative basis. This is why there was an anomaly and why we are moving to secure no overlap in the future. I do not believe there was ever an intention of the Irish Government or the British Government to have rights and entitlements that would overlap in the first instance. We are going to ensure in the regulations that this anomaly does not occur again.