Department overpaid over €17m of welfare to people who have left the country

The Department of Social Protection said some of the money recovered could include overpayments from other years and that efforts to claw back the money continued on an ongoing basis. File photo

More than €17m worth of welfare overpayments to people who no longer living in Ireland were uncovered over the past two years, with around €8.2m recouped during the same period.

The Department of Social Protection said some of the money recovered could include overpayments from other years and that efforts to claw back the money continued on an ongoing basis.