ASH Cash

Apart from boosting the profits of car-ferry firms the Icelandic volcanic ash cloud helped saved the Irish Social Welfare department a bit of cash. So-called welfare tourists from eastern Europe had been collecting payments in Ireland, commuting from home on cheap airline flights. When the airspace was shut down in April 800 people failed to turn up as usual. These fraudsters, I'm told, also boost their income by bringing in cheap cigarettes for sale in eastern European shops in Ireland. All told it's a nice earner involving a round trip one a month. So far this year the department have also cut back child benefit payments to 15,800 people who are no longer thought to be living here saving at least €2.4 million.