It’s been revealed that former coal miners from the Arigna area of Sligo, Leitrim and Roscommon make up more than half of applicants for money under a special benefit scheme.
Many of them suffer health problems after a lifetime of work in the mines, the most common being so-called Black Lung.
Of 565 applications under the Occupational Injuries Scheme, almost 300 came from Arigna miners.
Of those, 123 claims have been granted, 36 are pending and 137 have been refused.
The average payment is between five and six thousand euro a year, or about €100 extra in their social welfare payment.
Local Fine Gael Senator Frank Feighan says the former hardworking miners deserve what they get.
