Some parents falsely accused of childcare benefit fraud have been wrongly told that they will have to start repaying debts after all, thanks to another tax office error.

In a statement admitting the blunder, the tax office said it had not included all the names of the parents on the list of people who could stop paying off their debts while their compensation deals are sorted out.

‘We apologise for this mistake,’ the tax office said on its website. ‘This is not the fault of the debt collection agencies who are working hard to help put things right.’

Junior finance minister Alexandra van Huffelen, who is overseeing the compensation scheme, said on Twitter that ‘we made a mistake and we will remedy it as soon as possible.’

Some 15,500 people are entitled to the €30,000 compensation.