Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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287. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will waive the recovery of overpayment in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46508/22]

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). Persons who have been overpaid social welfare have a liability to refund the overpayment as they have been in receipt of a payment to which they were not entitled.

An overpayment of Jobseekers Allowance of €31,146 was assessed for the person concerned in respect of the period September 2014 to February 2020 and currently remains outstanding.

It is the policy of the Department of Social Protection to actively pursue all debts due to the Department, preferably through a repayment plan agreed with the customer. Any reasonable repayment plan proposed will be given due consideration by my Department’s officials.

The Department has today received updated contact information for this customer and will make contact with her over the coming days.

I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.