Michael Mullins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

In my experience, the voluntary arrangement works well, and if people are realistic, the Department is fair and reasonable. I have worked a few of those cases through with people.

Senator Moloney asked about cases where the estate of deceased persons is asked to refund significant amounts of money but are officials in the Department in a position to make a full and final settlement, perhaps in cutting a deal, where there has been an overpayment to a person and where the family inheriting the estate may not be in a position to repay the full amount? To get around the problems that tend to arise with people, and particularly older people, being overpaid when making an application for a non-contributory pension, for example, and later having changed circumstances not relayed to the Department, should there be a system in place where every year or second year people would get a note in the post asking if circumstances have changed or income has increased since the award of the payment? It comes as a terrible shock to families on occasions where a person dies and it is discovered that he or she was getting a certain level of incorrect benefit from the Department, and the amount has accumulated over 20 or 30 years. The family may be left with a large bill. Perhaps we should highlight in the media how people claiming non-contributory benefits must declare all income or else they run the risk of leaving a debt legacy to children.