A Government Minister says the €800 charge for adults availing of the chartered flight from Oman was subsidised.
This charge was criticised by Social Democrats Senator Patricia Stephenson who called it a shake-down and not an evacuation.
This flight is for people who need to get home from the Middle East.
Minister for Social Protection Dara Calleary says children will travel for free on the flight.
He says the cost of the flight is significantly higher than the €800 that’s being charged and such criticism isn’t fair:
Meanwhile, Minister Dara Calleary, who also has responsibility for the Gaeltacht, says he doesn’t support taxing holiday homes in Gaeltacht areas.
On Tuesday, TINTEÁN, the national Gaeltacht housing campaign group protested outside Leinster House.
Spokesperson for the group, John Prendergast called on the Government to tax short-term lets in Gaeltacht areas.
Minister Calleary says while their concerns regarding housing in such areas are valid, he doesn’t feel such a tax is necessary:
