Neasa Hourigan (Dublin Central, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I want to return to the social welfare issue. I completely accept Mr. Gray's point around the data sharing and the DAA's very timely tweets over the weekend and thank it for that. It assured people that the authority is not engaged in this. Based on Mr. Gray's comments today I am curious as to the basis on which the DAA is allowing social welfare inspectors into the airport. Presumably the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection had to apply to the DAA with a rationale for allowing its staff into the airport. We do not allow just anybody in a high-visibility vest to stop people. Is this the first time the DAA has allowed social welfare inspectors into the airport? To be clear, is it Mr. Gray's contention that social welfare officers have always had access to our airports?