Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 473: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full year spend on all payments administered by his Department for 2010 in tabular form; the estimated number of persons eligible for these payments in 2010; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31540/10]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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Estimated expenditure for Vote 38 Department of Social Protection and the Social Insurance Fund together with estimated average number of recipients for 2010 are set out in Tables 1, 2 and 3.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 474: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the amount spent, as at 30 June 2010, on all payments administered by his Department in tabular form; the number of persons eligible for payments as at 30 June 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31541/10]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 475: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the amount spent on all payments administered by his Department for each year since 2007 in tabular form; the number of persons eligible for each payment for each year since 2007; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31542/10]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 474 and 475 together.

Details of all payments administered in respect of Vote 38 Department of Social Protection and the Social Insurance Fund from 2007 to 2010 together with average numbers of recipients are set out in tables 1 to 3 and accompanying notes.

Expenditure for 2009 and 2010 is provisional and will be subject to audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General. Monthly expenditure figures are available up to 30 April 2010. May figures will be available shortly.

Table 1: Vote 38, Department of Social Protection - 2007 to 2009

* The Combat Poverty Agency was dissolved on 1 July 2009 and its functions and staffing were integrated into the Department's Social Inclusion Division.

** Comhairle's name was changed to the Citizens Information Board in February 2007. The Money Advice and Budgeting Service was transferred to the Citizen's Information Board during 2009.

*** The Department took over responsibility for the payment of all Domiciliary Care Allowance claims from the Health

Service Executive in September 2009.

1 Average Number of Child Beneficiaries

2 Number of grants paid once a year

Table 2: Vote 38, Department of Social Protection – 1 January to 30 April 2010

NOTE 1:

(Breakdown of Employment Support Services, Widows'/ Widowers' Pension and Guardian's Payment (Non-Contributory), Supplementary Welfare Allowances, Free Schemes (Assistance))

Table 3: Social Insurance Fund- 2007 to 2010

NOTE 2:

(Breakdown of Free Schemes (Insurance))

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 476: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the amount of overpayment paid by his Department per year since 2004 to 2009 in each payment area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31547/10]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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Overpayments are generally defined as money obtained contrary to or in excess of a valid decision. Most overpayments arise as a result of a revised decision regarding entitlement. The overpayment information for years 2004 to 2009 requested by the Deputy is setdown in the tabular statements attached. The figures for 2009 are provisional and are subject to audit by the Office of the C&AG.

Overpayments arise as a result of fraud, failure by customers to report changes in their circumstances, and Departmental errors. Most overpayments are detected by control activities and claim reviews. The overall goal of the Department in relation to debt management is to actively pursue the recovery of debt to maximise recovery levels, with due regard to value for money and with greater emphasis on recovery from people no longer dependant on welfare payments.

The objectives are:

. To maximise the recovery of overpayments . To efficiently record, report and monitor the occurrence and recovery of overpayments . To fulfil statutory, accounting and reporting obligations . To conduct overpayment and debt management as efficiently as possible. Overpayments may be recovered by- . withholding arrears due to the person . deduction from payments due to the person . payment of a lump sum by the person . regular payments by the person to the Department . recovery from the person's estate

The general approach is that the amount proposed would be the maximum repayment that the person can afford in order to recover the overpayment as quickly as possible.

Most overpayments are recovered in instalments over a period of years, rather than in a single lump sum. The bulk of recoveries in any one year will relate to overpayments, which came to light in previous years.

When determining the rate of recovery consideration would be given to the following . getting repayment as soon as possible . not causing undue hardship to the person . setting a rate that the person will agree to . any case made by the person

The general approach would be that the amount proposed would be the maximum repayment that the person can afford in order to recover the overpayment as quickly as possible.