Marie Moloney (Labour)

The point I am coming to is that officials in the Department have been advised that they had no legal basis on which to pursue him for the money because the error was made by the Department. I raise this issue because day in, day out I deal with claimants who have been overpaid by the Department of Social Protection and are pursued by it for every last penny. Why is there one law for one Department and one law for another?

I just do not accept that. If people are pursued in respect of social welfare overpayments, then the same should happen in this case. Why is it not possible to take the money from the former Senator's pension? I want someone to come before the House to explain why people on social welfare are obliged to repay moneys they have been overpaid while others do not have to do this. It is no wonder that people have lost faith in politicians, particularly when they read about cases of this nature in the newspapers.