Farm assist over-payments continue

Over-payments detected by the Department of Social Protection in the farm assist income support scheme totalled €1.132 million in 2014.

More regular reviews of the scheme will considerably reduce the extent of overpayment, the Committee of Public Accounts was told by Niamh O’Donoghue, Secretary General of the Department.

She revealed that the farm assist scheme will be included this year by the Department in a fraud and error survey.