The Dáil's Public Accounts Committee (PAC) is to examine the annual report from the Department of Social Protection.

The focus will be the department's 2018 appropriation account, its Social Insurance Fund and chapters from the Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG)'s 2018 annual report relating to the regularity of social welfare payments.

It will also look at the timeliness of income support claim processing, and the development of income support application forms from the point of view of customer service.

The department spent €10.7bn in 2018 - which was nearly €40m less than estimated.

Significant items of expenditure included €541m on administration, €1.02bn for pensions, €3.4bn on income and employment supports, and €2.8bn on illness, disability and carers.

The Social Insurance Fund, which is managed by the department, accounts for PRSI contributions collected from employees, employers and the self-employed.

This money is then used to fund social insurance payments which relate to retirement, illness, incapacity, unemployment, maternity and bereavement.

A subvention is provided by the exchequer where there is a gap between income and expenditure.

The PAC says the 2018 Social Insurance Fund shows receipts of €11.2bn and payments totalling €10.06bn in the year.

An exchequer subvention was therefore not required in 2018, it adds.

PAC chariman Seán Fleming said: "The committee will examine the department which administers and pays out a substantial amount of funds each year.

"The committee will also resume its discussion in relation to the Data Protection Commissioner's recent report on the use the of the Public Services Card."