John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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539. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if an increase of payment for a qualified child relative to children allowance was made to a person (details supplied). [27503/18]

Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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A revised decision in this gentleman’s case has resulted in an overpayment being assessed against him in respect of Disability Allowance payments he received while absent from the State from 13 March 2016 to 01 November 2016. An appeal against this decision is currently with the Social Welfare Appeals Office (SWAO) and an oral appeal hearing is being scheduled. The person concerned will be informed when arrangements for the oral hearing have been made.

An application for an Increase for a Qualified Adult (IQA) allowance was received from this gentleman on 30 May 2018. This has now been awarded along with an Increase for Qualified Children (IQC) at full rate including the first mentioned above.

The department is obliged to recoup any debt to it in an appropriate and timely manner and this includes the setting off of arrears due against the debt. Arrears for IQA and IQC cannot be processed until the person in question has had their appeal heard and entitlement has been established.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.