IRELAND | Report published on concerns over how Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection recovered overpayments

IOI President and Irish Ombudsman Peter Tyndall published a report setting out how the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection (DEASP) has addressed his concerns about the recovery of overpayments made to social welfare recipients.

In his report, ‘Fair Recovery’, Mr Tyndall says that he had seen cases where, through no fault of the recipient, an overpayment had been made, and where:

• the Department had little or no documentary evidence of the overpayment;

• there were inconsistencies across the country as to how overpayments were being dealt with;

• overpayments were deducted from inappropriate sources;

• there was no evidence that the DEASP ‘poverty-proofed’ the recipient’s circumstances before starting deductions; and

• there was no communication from the Department with some recipients for years after an overpayment had been discovered.

However, he commended the DEASP for its positive engagement with his Office and putting measures in place to tackle issues highlighted in the report.

The Ombudsman upheld a high percentage of the 108 complaints received from 2015 to 2018 (39%).

Measures implemented by the DEASP following engagement with the Ombudsman include:

• updating guidance and training for staff dealing with overpayments;

• a review of local complaint handling;

• the establishment of a new call centre to deal with claimants in debt; and

• the introduction of a system for issuing debt reminders.

The Ombudsman’s report, available on www.ombudsman.ie, describes some of the complaints examined.

Source: Ombudsman of Ireland