70,000 return cash after welfare overpayments

MORE THAN 70,000 people paid money back to the Department of Social and Family Affairs last year after mistakes, delays or deception resulted in millions of euro in welfare overpayments.

Almost €30 million was paid out inadvertently to almost 39,000 welfare recipients in 2002, including €11 million in unemployment benefits and more than €10 million in pensions.

But officials say they are catching up with people who pocket too much money, whether by accident or design, and that they recovered just over €15 million in repayments in the same 12 month period.