Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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124. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a full evaluation of the case of a person (details supplied) can be undertaken, who has been incorrectly assessed as having received an overpayment of the pandemic unemployment payment for a period during which they did not claim; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39599/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Pandemic Unemployment Payment was introduced in 2020 to provide support to people who had lost their employment due to the public health restrictions introduced in response to the Covid-19 Pandemic. Under Section 68L (1) (d) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 (as amended), PUP is not payable where a person is engaged in insurable employment, that is, works as an employee.

My Department has conducted an extensive analysis of Pandemic Unemployment Payments in the period since 5th August 2020 and has cross checked payments against payroll records from employers submitted to the Revenue Commissioners. The information available to my Department indicates that the person concerned was in receipt of an employment income for 32 weeks throughout 2020 and 2021, whilst concurrently in receipt of PUP. In a letter dated 5^th September 2024, the person concerned was advised of an estimated PUP overpayment of €11,300. An administrative disregard of €1,750 has been applied, resulting in an estimated net overpayment of €9,550.

The person concerned was given 21 days to reply to this letter, and to provide any supporting documentation if she did not agree with the estimated overpayment amount. To date, we have not had any reply from her.

I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.