I support my colleague, Senator Moloney, in respect of social welfare overpayments. As I watched her on the monitor, I was dealing with such a case. A lady who was widowed 16 years ago received a widow's pension and informed the Department when she got a job two years later. It did not act on that information.

The Senator can raise that issue as a matter on the Adjournment.

Ten years later, the Department sent her a bill for €54,000 when the mistake was clearly its own. Like Senator Moloney, I call on the Minister to ensure that the onus to repay should not be on the person in such cases.

The Senator should table a motion on the matter.

This is purely a mistake by the Department. It should live with the loss.