Union: Passport law changes and floods account for overtime

A trade union has defended receiving more than €1.7m in overtime pay.

It is claimed that members of the CPSU got €1.74m in overtime up to mid-September for clearing the backlog of passports.

However, the union had embarked on industrial action earlier this year.

It is also claimed that the money paid far exceeds the total overtime bill of last year.

But Theresa Dwyer of the CPSU says overtime is a necessary part of their work.

Ms Dwyer said: "There were also other elements such as changes in the legislation regarding passports for minors plus that fact that in March this year there was flooding which damaged the passports machines."