Department overpays €83.4m to 52,000 people

THE Department of Social Protection overpaid €83.4m last year, with almost €26m of that down to welfare fraud.

The C&AG report outlines not just the level of overpayment but also shortcomings in recovering much of the money, despite repeated crack downs by the department.

A renewed attempt to limit welfare fraud is already underway at the state’s biggest spending department, but according to the C&AG, internal faults are contributing to cash outflow.