{"url":"https://newsforagent.com/news/2026-10-18/hse-staff-overpayments-three-years","markdown_url":"https://newsforagent.com/news/2026-10-18/hse-staff-overpayments-three-years.md","title":"HSE overpaid staff €30m in three years, figures show","headline":"HSE overpaid staff more than €30 million across three years, with €4.3 million still outstanding","description":"The HSE overpaid staff more than €30 million in three years, with €9.53 million identified last year and €4.3 million still outstanding at year-end.","section":"Business","published_at":"2026-10-18T18:01:54+00:00","modified_at":"2026-10-18T18:01:54+00:00","author":"News Desk","key_takeaways":["The HSE identified €9.53 million in overpayments last year, down slightly from €9.55 million in 2024 and €11.1 million in 2023.","A total of 3,242 staff received overpayments last year, an average of almost €3,000 each.","The HSE recovered €5.163 million in 2025, leaving more than €4.3 million outstanding at the end of the year."],"companies":[{"name":"HSE - Health and Safety Executive","is_primary":true,"profile_url":null,"website":"http://www.hse.gov.uk/index.htm"}],"source":{"publisher":"RTE.ie","title":"HSE overpaid staff more than €30m over three years","url":"https://www.rte.ie/news/health/2026/1018/1595877-hse-staff-overpayments/"},"other_sources":[{"publisher":"SAP Community","url":"https://news.sap.com/2026/10/dachser-migrates-hcm-to-sap-s-4hana-cloud-rise-with-sap/"},{"publisher":"PR Newswire","url":"https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/workday-named-as-a-market-shaper-in-the-2026-gartner-emerging-market-quadrant-for-ai-agents-in-human-resources--established-vendors-302902835.html"}],"tags":["Business","HSE - Health and Safety Executive"],"body_markdown":"The HSE overpaid its staff by more than €30 million over three years, with €9.53 million in overpayments identified last year and more than €4.3 million still outstanding at the end of 2025. The figures were released under FOI, [RTE.ie](https://www.rte.ie/news/health/2026/1018/1595877-hse-staff-overpayments/) reported on October 18, 2026.\n\n## HSE Overpayments Averaged Nearly €3,000 Per Employee\n\nA total of 3,242 staff were in receipt of overpayments last year, equivalent to an average of almost €3,000 per person. The €9.53 million identified in 2025 was slightly down on the €9.55 million flagged in 2024, while just over €11.1 million in incorrect payments to health service employees was discovered in 2023.\n\nThe HSE said that €5.163 million in money incorrectly paid out was recovered in 2025. More than €4.3 million worth of overpayments remained outstanding at the end of the year.\n\nAround 3,700 employees received more money than they were entitled to in 2024, roughly €2,570 per person. A total of 4,371 staff were overpaid in 2023, an average of €2,540 in each case.\n\nThe amount of money outstanding at year-end has been falling, according to the HSE data. In 2023, €5.68 million worth of overpayments were listed as \"unrecovered\" at the end of the year. That fell to €4.7 million by 31 December 2024 and dropped further last year to around €4.33 million. An information note said the figures covered just \"statutory entities\" and \"HSE staff only.\"\n\nA spokesperson said the HSE took overpayments very seriously and \"works hard to minimise this occurring\". They said: \"The main reasons for overpayments include data entry errors, late entry of unpaid leave, sick leave-related errors, employees not being removed from the payroll in a timely manner, pension overpayments, and allowance overpayments [or] payments made in error.\"\n\nThe spokesperson said once an overpayment was identified, a formal notification issued to the employee outlined proposed arrangements for repayment. They added: \"The HSE will actively engage with the employee on any deviation from this. Where no response is received, the HSE will initiate an automatic deduction where the employee is in receipt of pay.\"\n\n## Earlier HSE Warnings on Misinformation and Drugs\n\nOn October 14, 2026, the HSE warned against health misinformation after experts cautioned against appearances by Australian alternative health promoter Barbara O'Neill in Ireland, the Irish Examiner reported. On October 9, 2026, the HSE warned about the unpredictable effects of a synthetic drug fused with MDMA and ketamine, sold as pink cocaine, appearing in Irish cities, according to the Irish Examiner. On October 7, 2026, Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill warned HSE regions they cannot do everything every year, saying overspending this year will cut next year's funding, the Irish Examiner reported.\n\n## Payroll Migrations at DACHSER and Workday\n\nDACHSER migrated its German HCM payroll and time management modules to SAP S/4HANA via RISE with SAP, with the first payroll run succeeding in July 2026, [SAP Community](https://news.sap.com/2026/10/dachser-migrates-hcm-to-sap-s-4hana-cloud-rise-with-sap/) reported on October 14, 2026. The company, operating 427 branches across 43 countries, plans to extend this model to its finance environment after its Azure contract expires. Workday was named a Market Shaper in Gartner's 2026 Emerging Market Quadrant for AI Agents in Human Resources, [PR Newswire](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/workday-named-as-a-market-shaper-in-the-2026-gartner-emerging-market-quadrant-for-ai-agents-in-human-resources--established-vendors-302902835.html) reported on October 8, 2026, citing customer results including automating 95% of frontline hiring and resolving payroll questions in under a minute.\n\n## HSE Repayment Arrangements Continue\n\nThe HSE said it will actively engage with employees on any deviation from proposed repayment arrangements and will initiate an automatic deduction where no response is received and the employee is in receipt of pay.\n","publisher":{"name":"News for Agent","url":"https://newsforagent.com"}}