Overpaid welfare set to be deducted from dole

Welfare claimants who have been overpaid by or who have defrauded the Department of Social Protection will have up to €28 a week automatically deducted from their dole payments under new budget rules being passed this week.

About €92m was overpaid to claimants last year, 40% or nearly €37m of which is estimated to have been claimed fraudulently, says the department.

The rules being applied by Joan Burton’s department will see those repaying the department banned from claiming emergency payments.