Refund rows aided air carriers

THE health service and frontline workers are heroes all. And State agencies have rightly gained credit for handling the Covid crisis well.

But not all of them performed brilliantly throughout.

The admittedly under-resourced Health and Safety Authority faced criticism from unions and emigrant groups for failures in meat plant inspections.

Our senior HSE advisers were somewhat paternalistic in disregarding the use of masks early in the crisis, implying that the public wouldn’t know how to use them properly.

And while most schools performed valiantly, parents report some were less helpful with lessons, leaving them hopelessly overburdened with teaching and childcare duties.

Former transport minister Shane Ross, as usual, dithered through the crisis. The ministerial reign characterised by nobody knowing whether or not they could ride electric scooters for years ended with ongoing confusion over refunds from airlines for cancelled flights. Months ago, word seeped out that the minister, to the dismay of consumer watchdogs, would back airlines in refusing to pay refunds to passengers even though they were entitled to them under EU law.

Airlines then appeared to pay fewer refunds than before. Why should they if it might subsequently emerge that they didn’t have to? Chaos reigned – and few refunds were given.

Weeks later, the minister sent a letter to the EU requesting a derogation from consumer law for airlines so that they wouldn’t have to give refunds.

This only caused more confusion. Was he or wasn’t he going to back vouchers instead of refunds – and could he even do that?

More uncertainty followed until another fudge emerged: the Government would make vouchers more attractive and financially back them, so the taxpayer would cough up. But if you really wanted it, you could still get a refund.

Confusion also reigns over our holidays, thanks to conflicting signals from Government. Chief Medical Officer Tony Holohan advises us not to go abroad on holidays. But travel policies only pay out if the Department of Foreign Affairs gives that advice – and it won’t do that. So, if we follow the Government’s senior health officer’s advice, we can’t make any claims.