Seanad report: It was very wrong that a young family man was being asked to repay €52,000 mistakenly paid to him in Social Welfare payments, a Fianna Fáil member told the House.
Mr Eamon Scanlon said he had been contacted yesterday by a constituent who had sought and been paid social welfare between social employment schemes. It had been discovered recently that there had been an overpayment of €52,000 to this individual, who had been requested to pay back this money. This man had not made a false declaration.
"Now, I can understand the Department or an official making a mistake for a month, two months or three months," said Mr Scanlon. "But to think that there is €52,000 overpaid. I think it's absolutely criminal, and somebody is not doing their job in the Department. Its very wrong that this individual at this stage has been asked to repay €52,000."
Dr Maurice Hayes (Ind), a former Northern Ireland ombudsman, said he had some experience of cases where welfare benefits had been paid by mistake.
"I understood the position to be that a mistake made by the Department and money paid out could not be recovered and certainly should not be recovered."
"This money, no doubt, over the years, has been spent, and it's entirely unreasonable to ask people to give it back. I hope the Minister will take that view," added Dr Hayes.