Michael McCarthy (Labour)

Last Christmas, the Department of Social and Family Affairs gave two payments, instead of one, to recipients of certain social welfare allowances such as invalidity payment, carer's allowance and retirement pensions. The double payments received a great deal of attention in the media at that time. Various people, including representatives of sectoral groups, called on the Government to allow those who received an extra payment to keep it, on the basis that the error originated in the Department and was not the fault of the recipients. The Department decided to claw back the additional payments in the first week of January. However, there was a difference between the remuneration that was overpaid in December and the level that was clawed back in January. I refer to the increase of €10 that would have applied in some cases in the first week of January. Given that 40,000 people were affected by this move, one can work out that a considerable amount of money was involved.

I have asked the Department to give me details of the number of people who were affected by this event, but I have not received an official response. I asked how many overpayments were made, for example. If payments were withheld because an increase of €10 was involved in the first week of January by virtue of the increase in social welfare payments, when will the moneys be repaid to those from whom it has been withheld? I ask the Leader to seek clarification from the relevant Minister in this regard.

There have been media reports in recent days about the conditions in which the killers of Detective Garda Jerry McCabe are being held. A newspaper referred to an official report that suggested the killers have a major say in the running of the bungalows which form part of Castlerea Prison. The reports are disturbing for the family of Detective Garda McCabe and all others who were affected by the appalling tragedy of his death. The reports will damage public confidence in this country's prison system. I ask the Leader to seek clarification from the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform in respect of this issue.

I would like to discuss an airline, other than Aer Lingus, which has origins in this country. The airline, of which the Leader has had previous experience, was fined in the UK this week for violating that country's consumer protection laws and misleading customers about prices. The airline's reputation was built on low fares. It has sold most of its flights on the basis that it provides a low-cost service. In this case, the airline was fined because it did not make clear the full cost of seats.

Many Senators have called in recent times for debates on over-pricing and other issues which affect consumers financially. We should ensure that the problems which have been encountered in respect of this airline in the UK do not recur in this country. We need to be aware that an airline that operates in this country has been fined in another jurisdiction. We should ensure that it complies with the law of the land and does not take advantage of consumers.