Peter Cleere (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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589. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a debt repayment plan will be accepted for an overpayment in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7489/25]

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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590. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a debt repayment plan will be accepted for an overpayment in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7490/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 589 and 590 together.

The person concerned had been in receipt of Carer's Allowance (CA) from 1999. Following a review of their continuing entitlement to CA in 2016, it was established that there was no entitlement from 17th April 2008 to 29th June 2016 as the care recipient was in employment, had married and had moved away from the family home.

Accordingly, an overpayment of €103,715.50 was raised against the person concerned. The right of review and appeal was afforded to the person at the time, but neither option was taken up.

When contacted by my Department’s Debt Recovery Unit, the person agreed to repay €25.00 per week. This was deducted from their Widow’s Contributory Pension (WCP). These deductions continued to the time of the person’s death in 2020. The current debt balance is €98,890.50.

My Department’s Estates Section has received a copy of the Grant of Probate & Notice of Acknowledgement which indicates that the person concerned had a net estate of €200,632. Declared cash assets amount to approximately €35,000.

If the family of the deceased wishes to discuss the settlement of the outstanding overpayment, they should contact my Department’s Debt Recovery Unit in Longford directly.