Aer Lingus staff get tax bills after redundancies

TAX bills have been issued to some Aer Lingus staff by the Revenue Commissioners as it believes a controversial 2008 redundancy scheme was not valid.

Both SIPTU and Aer Lingus have insisted that the redundancies were genuine and, therefore, qualify for generous tax relief.

Under the so-called “leave and return” scheme in 2008, almost 1,100 staff left Aer Lingus with generous redundancy packages worth nine weeks pay per year of service. Within weeks, 715 returned to work for the airline, but on lower pay and conditions.