Ms Niamh O'Donoghue:

Most of the schemes the Department operates are based on statute which prescribes the eligibility for them. Someone may become not eligible for one particular payment but become eligible for a different one. Where the fraud kicks in is if there was an overpayment raised against the person, then that overpayment would be received from the new payment they would be on.

The easiest example would be of someone in receipt of one-parent family payment who is found to be no longer eligible for it due to an investigation. They then may become eligible for jobseeker’s benefit or become a dependant of a partner in receipt of jobseeker’s benefit. Regardless of the circumstances around the initial claim which was found to be fraudulent, if they satisfy the conditions in law that entitles them to a different payment, then they are entitled to it. Where the fraud piece comes in is with the recovery of the overpayment rather than diminishing their entitlement to the new payment.