Some 5,000 pensioners are in line for a tax refund after a mistake was made by Revenue.

It came about after people who get both a State and a private pension were issued with the wrong tax certificates for February.

Tax officials wrongly assumed that people were getting double the State pension - and these credits were then deducted from their private pension.

The Revenue Commissioners have apologised for the blunder.

One widow (78), who spoke to the Irish Independent, said she was due to get €817 from the private pension of a semi-state company.

But the mix-up meant she got just €19 for February from her private pension.

Charlie Weston is personal finance editor with the Irish Independent. He says a lot of people have been left out of pocket.