TEN GOVERNMENT MINISTERS who may owe thousands to the State due to an administrative error which came to light last summer still have not paid back costs, according to Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers. 

Chambers confirmed the ministers involved are not yet in a repayment plan for extra money given due to the error – which was connected to pension decisions and contributions relating to salaries, allowances and other income.

Sinn Féin TD Pearse Doherty, who asked Chambers for an update on the issue at the Dáil Finance Committee today, described the lack of repayment as “unjustifiable”.

Chambers said that of the 32 current ministers who owed money due to the error, only 24 have refunded the costs or are in a repayment plan. 

He said 39 former ministers impacted by the error also owe money to the State, and 17 have refunded the costs or are in a repayment plan. Former ministers were informed of the error at a later date than current ministers.

The exact sums owed have not yet been confirmed, but may range from hundreds of euro to just above €30,000.

“I’m not privy to who the particular ministers are and I don’t know the particular nature of what is owed, but what I’ve said very clearly is that anything that’s owed must be repaid,” Chambers said.

“Engagement is ongoing,” he added.

Doherty said “no ordinary person” would receive such lenient treatment in matters relating to taxpayers’ money.

“These are people who are earning in excess of €200,000 – and the same ministers that voted to leave workers and families worse off in this year’s budget,” he said in a statement this evening.

“It is unjustifiable for ministers to not be in a repayment plan. It is that simple.”

“This latest revelation cannot be brushed aside. The public should not drip-fed information in this way,” he added.