Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I agree that, in general, we are fobbed off with holding letters in any event. We need to do something about that, but the terrible thing regarding this situation is that it is a small number of people who were short-changed and left high and dry by an agency funded by the HSE and the State. Wherever the legal responsibility does or does not reside, I am of the view that the Minister, as a matter of honour, needs to intervene. That is why the committee wrote to him.

When the committee writes to him again, in addition to questioning his definition of the word "shortly", we should also state that the reason for writing is that the committee appears to be the only forum left for getting some satisfaction for the employees. While the sum of money involved is modest, it would mean a great deal to the individuals in question.