Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 381: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of cases currently before her Department wherein overpayment has occurred in respect of various social welfare payments and where her Department discovered such errors or were informed by the recipient; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28358/12]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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In 2010, there were a total of 52,603 overpayments amounting to €83.4 million. The Department categorises overpayments as f raud, non-fraud and estate cases.

Fraud cases arise mainly on foot of false declarations by customers concerning their employment, income or family status while non-fraud cases are primarily due to customer, third party or departmental error. Estate cases arise where undisclosed means by customers (usually pensioners) come to light after their deaths.

The breakdown of the 2010 overpayments is as follows:

· €25.9 million – fraud (15,899 cases);

· €47.6 million – non-fraud (36,384 cases); and

· €9.9 million – estate (320 cases).

The Department is not in a position to publicly comment on overpayments recorded in 2011 as these figures form part of the statutory accounts of the Department and are currently the subject of an audit by the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General.