The person concerned informed the Department of her employment in May 2000 and returned her payment book. Consequent inquiries by the Department revealed that her employment had commenced two years previously.
A deciding officer decided in April to reduce the rate of one parent family payment due to the person concerned for the period from 9 April 1998 to 7 April 1999 in the light of her earnings. The deciding officer also decided to terminate her entitlement completely with effect from 8 April 1999, as her earnings from employment by then exceeded the statutory limit of €15,236.86 or £12,000 for receipt of one parent family payment. It was also found that she had been overpaid by €7,375.38 or £5,808.58 for the period from 9 April 1998 to 18 May 2000 based on her undisclosed means from earnings during that period.
The Department notified the person concerned of these decisions and of her right to appeal to the social welfare appeals office if she was dissatisfied. She was also advised of her rights under the statutory code of practice on the recovery of social welfare overpayments.
The person concerned has not appealed the decision nor made direct contact with my Department. There is an obligation on her to make arrangements to repay the overpayment.