Women lodge claims against welfare over dismissal

UNFAIR dismissal claims have been lodged against the Department of Social and Family Affairs by three women who had more than 60 years’ experience between them and were recently replaced by temporary workers.

The three, who worked in the Killarney social welfare office, said they are devastated and have written personally to Minister Mary Hanafin to appeal for their jobs back.

They said they have not received a response weeks after sending the letter.

Mary Cronin, Eileen Moriarty and Siobhán Dwyer were laid off from their jobs on July 25 when the department took over the running of the welfare office, which had previously been run on the government’s behalf by a private contractor.

The three were the only employees in the office and after taking it over, the department kept them on for four weeks before replacing them.

SIPTU, the union representing the three women, said the department is in breach of Transfer of Undertaking laws which protect workers when the business employing them, or any part of it, changes hands. The department rejects this claim.

SIPTU asked the department to give the women their jobs back, but the department declined. Proceedings have been lodged in the Employment Appeals Tribunal.

The longest serving member of staff affected by the transfer is Ms Cronin who started work in the Killarney branch office in July 1973. Ms Moriarty had been employed at the branch since the early 1980s and Ms Dwyer had been working there for five years.