Coughlan critical of forklift grant

The Southern Health Board and a group of aspiring fork truck drivers have fallen out of favour with Social Affairs Minister, Mary Coughlan.

The wannabe fork truck drivers benefited from an "exceptional needs payment grant" from the Southern Health Board, when they attended a fork truck training course.

Minister Coughlan "nearly died" when she discovered the group had received the payment under the supplementary welfare scheme.

"Under no circumstances can I stand over exceptional needs payments being given to people to do forklift courses," she told the Dail.