Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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235. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding a rent supplement allowance appeal in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 9; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11916/15]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The person concerned has been in receipt of rent supplement from this Department in respect of his current address since June 2013. It recently came to light that he had been in receipt of a private pension from his previous employment since December 2014 which the Department was unaware of. As a consequence of this information his claim for rent supplement was reassessed on 10^thMarch 2015, based on his combined current income from his widow's contributory pension and his private pension. His new entitlement rate was established and in addition he was found to have been overpaid rent supplement from 5^thJanuary 2015 to 14^thMarch 2015.

The Department also became aware that the person concerned had obtained part-time employment for 11 weeks in 2014 but had not informed the Rents Unit about this at the time. His entitlement for that period was also reviewed, and it was found that based on his total household income for those weeks, he had no entitlement to rent supplement for the period of this employment. He was therefore also overpaid rent supplement for those weeks.

The person concerned has been informed of his new rate of entitlement and also that he needs to inform the Rents Unit as to how he intends to repay the overpayment. He has also been informed of his right to appeal the decisions in his case to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office; to date no appeal has been received as far as we are aware.