3,200 welfare claimants overpaid by at least €30k

More than 3,200 persons in receipt of welfare benefits have been overpaid by a minimum of €30,000 and still owe €179m back to the State, it emerged yesterday.

The Dáil’s Public Accounts Committee heard that the overall level of outstanding debt on pension, welfare and carers payments due to overpayments now stands at €501m.