Social Welfare Act, 1998

Recovery of debts.

20.—(1) The Principal Act is hereby amended by the insertion after section 279A (inserted by section 31 of the Act of 1997) of the following section:

“Recovery of debts.

279B.—Where a person has received moneys from the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs, which he or she was not entitled to receive, such person shall be liable to repay—

(a) in the case of benefit, to the Social Insurance Fund,

(b) in the case of assistance (other than supplementary welfare allowance), child benefit, family income supplement or continued payment for qualified children, to the Minister,

(c) in the case of supplementary welfare allowance, to the health board,

on demand a sum not exceeding the amount of such money received.”.

(2) Section 281 of the Principal Act is hereby amended by the substitution for subsections (6) and (7) of the following subsections:

“(6) Any benefit, assistance, family income supplement or continued payment for qualified children repayable in accordance with section 278, 279, 279A or 279B may, without prejudice to any other method of recovery, be recovered by deduction from any benefit, assistance (except supplementary welfare allowance) or family income supplement to which such person then is or becomes entitled.

(7) Any child benefit repayable in accordance with section 278, 279, 279A or 279B may, without prejudice to any other method of recovery, be recovered by deduction from any payment or payments on account of child benefit to which such person then is or becomes entitled.”.