Sinn Féin spokesperson on Workers’ Rights Louise O’Reilly TD has said Dublin Airport Authority cannot pass the buck on airport delays, and stated that the company needs to address its own failures, which have contributed to long delays.

Teachta O’Reilly said:

“There are some factors causing delays at Dublin Airport which are outside the hands of Dublin Airport Authority (DAA), such as prolonged delays for workers undergoing the new enhanced background checks.

“Indeed, I wrote to the Minister for Justice earlier this month calling for additional personnel to be assigned to the necessary areas in An Garda Síochána to help speed up processing.

“However, there are other areas where DAA have to shoulder the blame for delays.

“In today’s Irish Independent, Luke Byrne reported that DAA are only offering prospective security staff 20-hours work a week at €14.14 an hour, while expecting them to be available to work 40 hours a week ‘across a 24/7 roster’.

“It is little wonder there is a staffing crisis at Dublin Airport when DAA are offering part-time, low-wage contracts for such extremely intense and difficult security work.

“If the airport wants to overcome this staffing crisis, then they have to deliver decent pay and conditions for workers.

“In the meantime, and until these issues are addressed, exceptional measures, such as bringing back recently retired staff, who have already been vetted and background checked, should be considered in order to help with passenger delays.”