John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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343. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of a proposal to deal with an overpayment of a pension in the case of a person (details supplied); and if the offer to settle will be accepted. [52310/19]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Social welfare legislation provides that the personal representative of a deceased person, who at any time received a social assistance scheme payment, such as state pension (non-contributory), is obliged to give notice to my Department of their intention to distribute the deceased's estate and to provide a schedule of the assets of the estate. On examination of the schedule of assets, if it is found that not all of the deceased’s means had been disclosed, or if the values of previously assessed means had changed, my Department will seek to recover any monies overpaid from the estate.

The deceased person concerned was a recipient of state pension (non-contributory). On examination of the schedule of assets of their estate, a review of their state pension entitlement was undertaken and an overpayment assessed. An agreed repayment amount has been accepted by the Recovery Officer on 28 November 2019. A letter of clearance issued on that date to the deceased's personal representative, and a copy issued to the solicitor representing the estate.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.