Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

462. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the way an overpayment of carer's allowance was calculated (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8177/23]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Carer's allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment made to a person who is habitually resident in the State and who is providing full-time care and attention to a child or an adult who has such a disability that as a result they require that level of care.

Correspondence issued to the person concerned on 11 December 2012 , notifying them that their CA payment was to be suspended from 27 December 2012 as they had failed to disclose all of the information that had been requested by a Social Welfare Inspector.

A decision letter then issued on 22 January 2013 notifying the person concerned that they no longer qualified for payment of CA. They were informed of this decision, the reason for it and of their right of review and appeal.

Correspondence issued to person concerned on 11 July 2013 outlining that evidence had become available to the Department that they failed to disclose income from compensation received. Therefore, they were not entitled to the CA payment they received for the period 8 November 2007 to 26 December 2012 and that an overpayment may be assessed against them for the period. The person was informed of this decision, the reason for it and of their right of review and appeal. No request for a review or appeal was received.

A decision issued on 14 August 2013 to the person concerned that an overpayment of €63,664.50 was recoverable to the Department. They were informed of this decision, the reason for it and of their right of review and appeal. No request for a review or appeal was received.

A breakdown of the overpayment is provided in the table below.

According to the Department's system, the person concerned is currently repaying this debt at a rate of €50 per week and there is currently a remaining debt of €39,764.50.

I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.