€92m overpaid in social welfare

More than €92m was overpaid to social welfare recipients in 2011 — a jump of 11% — according to figures published by the Department of Social Protection.

The figures also reveal the level of overpayments has risen annually since 2007 — increasing by 83% over the period. In the five years between 2007 and 2011, overpayments to social welfare recipients totalled €348.7m.

The department confirmed there were 63,330 individual cases of overpayment recorded in 2011 — an increase of more than 20% on the previous year. The average overpayment in 2011 was just under €1,460 to each individual.