Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Yesterday, the Minister stated on radio that "if people are entitled to benefits, they are entitled to them, and I want to make sure that they get them". The performance of Aer Lingus to date will not inspire the workers or give them much confidence that they will get their forms filled. I ask the Minister to issue an instruction to her officials to accept those forms, if they are filled out correctly and if the relevant documentation, with the exception of that from Aer Lingus, is provided. These people are desperate. Receiving €250 for two weeks' work when one has rent and bills to pay and children to feed is not acceptable and is not going to work. Aer Lingus has been dragging its heels and an Teachta O'Rourke has asked the Minister about backdating those claims. Will she confirm that they will be backdated? People have been sending in these forms for months. They have no confidence that the company will fill out the forms. The Minister can intervene with her officials and make sure that those forms are processed as long as people have filled them out and provided as much documentation as can reasonably be expected.

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