More than £2.5 million has now been paid out to 129 former Irish Hospital Sweepstakes workers who were made redundant in 1987. Each worker received a lump sum of £20,000. The lump sums are tax-free for workers who spent more than 13 years with the company.
When the company closed in 1987, Irish Hospital Sweepstakes could afford to pay pensions of only £2 or £3 a week to the redundant workers. A 13-year battle for compensation began and resulted in the Tanaiste, Ms Harney, clearing the £20,000 payment in June.