Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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615. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the overpayments recouped of one-parent family benefit in each of the years 2016 to 2019 and to date in 2020, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18631/20]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Overpayments of social welfare assistance and benefit payments arise as a consequence of decisions made under the relevant sections of the Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act, 2005 (as amended).  Where an overpayment is raised, the Department makes every effort to recover the amount overpaid in full in the shortest time period.

Overpayments can take a number of years to be fully recovered and the Department takes into account, as it is obliged to by law, the personal circumstances of the person in determining the amount of money they can repay so as to ensure that their living needs are met.

A breakdown of one family parent payment overpayments recouped in the years 2016 to 2019 and to date in 2020 is set out in the table below.  

One  Parent Family Payment Recoveries