Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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235. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of various appeals in respect of overpayment and an award of payment in respect of prior entitlement in the case of a person (details supplied); if the deduction of €20 per week from the person's carer’s allowance payment takes account of the proposal to offset the sum and withholding of the sum and the resultant likely hardship to the family; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3529/21]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The person concerned was assessed with a Jobseekers Allowance (JA) overpayment of €153,702.20. This decision was appealed and the Appeals Officer's decision provided for the award of Carers Allowance (CA) for a period which would have reduced the amount of the overpayment amount.

Following a request by the Department for a review of this decision, the Appeals Officers decision was revised and the appeal was disallowed. This decision meant the person concerned was not entitled to CA and the original JA overpayment still stands. A letter issued to the person concerned on 14 January 2020 informing her of this decision.

This decision does not affect current entitlement to CA which will remain in payment.

The Debt Recovery Unit (DRU) in Longford wrote to the person concerned on 12 January 2021 and advised that the current repayments of €20.00 per week would remain in place and they were given 21 days to respond to this proposal. This letter advised, in error, that arrears of €25,134.10 were due and proposed that these arrears would be withheld against the debt amount. As no arrears were due the original debt amount remains.

DRU will engage with the person concerned on foot of any response received and will take into consideration any financial burden they are experiencing as a result. A letter providing clarification on the Appeal decision and overpayment will issue to the person concerned.

Any new repayment plan applied will need to be reasonable to the person concerned and the Department. As with all debts owed to the Department, the Minister must make every effort to recover debts in full and debts will remain until fully recovered.

I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.