Allister highlights problems of NI workers abroad
08 July 2008
Traditional Unionist MEP Jim Allister, speaking in a debate in Strasbourg, raised both difficulties being experienced by Northern Ireland residents working abroad within the EU and the exploitation of the UK's welfare system by "benefit tourists".
Due to conflicting regulations and misunderstanding of them as between member states, workers often experience difficulty in accessing benefits which ought to be available to them. As workers have become more mobile the problem has intensified.
In the course of his remarks Mr Allister said:-
"Mobility of labour is supposed to be a key feature of the EU and of the Lisbon strategy, yet as an MEP I regularly get complaints about lack of health care cover and inadequate social cover and, most frustrating of all, conflicting advice given by different state agencies. It is not uncommon for an employee from one member state to be working in another where they are employed by a company from a third, causing real issue about where and how they are covered."
Mr Allister, then went on to attack the scourge of "benefit tourists" and exploitation of the UK's generous welfare benefit regime, "Let me made it plain, my concern here is for gainfully employed individuals, not benefit tourists. There are loopholes in that regard which require to be well and truly blocked."
