700 queue for food parcels...in Dublin

the_dark_side

:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad: S Q U A N D E R E D :mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:

Ireland's new motto: WILLFUL WASTE MAKES WOEFUL WANT

junior_apollo

WindSock wrote: »

I doubt many people would love queing with 700 mainly mentally ill and drug addicted folk to get some 'free nosh'

You would be oooooh so surprised what people will do for freebies... its pathetic when there are people who are barely surviving and in need of these type of services.

Its those kinda greedy people who will end up destroying the free services and making it even harder for the really poor and starving out there. I find it sickening to be honest...

ejmaztec

Upward Spiral wrote: »

Wow there's a lot of resentment towards people on the Dole from members here. I had to sign on last week for the first time in my life and I feel shamed to admit that here after reading the obnoxious generalized comments that some of you make. Would you prefer people not sign on and maybe top themselves instead? Which isn't as big of an exaggeration as you'd think. Suicide cases have already increased dramatically since the recession began, and bankers only make up a small percentage of it... =p

I don't resent people on the dole, only people like the neighbour that I mentioned earlier. He's now in his 40s, and hasn't had a legal job since he was 20. He's employable, but only by people paying cash. He couldn't be arsed even trying to find a proper job in the boom years. Unfortunately, the local rock & roll office can't seem to catch him out, because he's got it down to a fine art.

I was on the dole for a time, twenty years ago, and I resented that bastard then, not to mention the ones stinking of slurry and rolling up on their tractors to pick up their pocket-money. The people behind the screen must have had no sense of smell.

Heineken Helen

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

We have already cut back overseas aid, despite government commitments to raise it.

Overall the west makes far money on interest payments on loans, and selling patented technologies and medicines than they give back. This is the whole Trade not Aid debate.

On the Trade not Aid debate, it would be interesting, as a thought experiment, to see how many people in that queue would work for their food, not to earn it but so they wouldn't feel they were taking charity. Bearing in mind that a meal is €1 and the minimum wage, we are talking an hour a week rather than workfare.

But yeah there are a lot of people who the celtic tiger hasn't helped.

I read recently of some not for profit cafe's opening in the states... where people pay what they WANT... and, if they can't afford to pay ANYTHING they agree to work for an hour in the cafe. I think this idea could work... because it makes good food and many people who would eat out for lunch eat there to help the others. Of course there are people who stuff the envelopes (it's anonymous what you pay) full of napkins at the end of it, but there are others who pay $20 for a coffee and a cake.

http://springwise.com/food_beverage/paywhatyouwant_restaurants/

It was the SAME cafe in Denver that I read about. Somehow it works:eek:

zuutroy

lol povvos

SheroN

Heineken Helen wrote: »

While there are undoubtedly SOME who manage to have money left over for drink and fags and still avail of the free stuff... do NOT tar us all with the one brush... were you one of those people? The way you're talking, you'd swear you were never unemployed. Even BEFORE I lost my job, I never judged anyone on one small group of seemingly rich poor people... we're all individuals ya know. And you've really picked a wrong time to go on about spongers... considering the amount of people who've been working their whole lives and now find themselves in an unfamiliar situation and are using every spare second and spare penny to try and get themselves out of that situation.

I was unemployed, but I never had to pick up free food as I was able to survive (and reasonably comfortably) on my dole money. Then again I adapated to the situation and lived within my means.

I'm not labelling everyone on the dole a sponger by any means. But to turn a blind eye to the sizeable percentage of people on the dole taking advantage of the system does no one any good in the long run. During the boom years people came from every corner of the globe to work in Ireland yet there was 3 or 4% of the working population unemployed.

And I think it's more than "a few bad apples", it's a sizeable proportion in my opinion.

Heineken Helen

SheroN wrote: »

I was unemployed, but I never had to pick up free food as I was able to survive (and reasonably comfortably) on my dole money. Then again I adapated to the situation and lived within my means.

I'm not labelling everyone on the dole a sponger by any means. But to turn a blind eye to the sizeable percentage of people on the dole taking advantage of the system does no one any good in the long run. During the boom years people came from every corner of the globe to work in Ireland yet there was 3 or 4% of the working population unemployed.

And I think it's more than "a few bad apples", it's a sizeable proportion in my opinion.

Perhaps in the Liberties or other such areas (no offense to anyone from there... but there's not always the same opportunities and same funding)

So you survived reasonably comfortably? Perhaps that's what they're doing too... they're being responsible with their shopping and have enough money left for luxuries... would you have handed back any excess money at the end of the week?:D

I'm going to take a jump here and presume you were single? Debt free? So am I! And that's why it's easy to survive on the dole... if I were supporting a family or even just one kid, I don't know how I'd do it to be honest... and it probably WOULD drive me to drink:D especially if I'd debt collectors or loan sharks knocking on my door.

There are several reasons why people can't survive on the dole... sure some of it may be irresponsibility... but they can't all be as mature and responsible as you or I! We all make mistakes... some bigger than others! Some people get themselves into situations they just can't get themselves out of... sometimes as a result of abuse or domestic situations... you and I are the lucky ones.

Even though I'm on the crap English dole at the mo... I DO consider myself lucky that I'm not a single mother, don't have any addictions, have a roof over my head and family who love me.

Guy:Incognito

WindSock wrote: »

No one should ever go hungry in this country (again). Places like this are doing a great job to make sure of that. They may have bags of shopping but you don't know the circumstances that would have them queuing for a food pack aswell.

A good few of the people I saw queing each time definately we NOT starving.

sunnyside

SheroN wrote: »

I never said they all were. I said a certain percentage. But it's my opinion that there's a certain number of people in the 700 who were there because they hadn't managed the money they received from the social welfare in a responsible manner. Do you disagree with this?

I agree. €200 is loads to live on if you have no outgoings or debts. I'm listing approx what my bills and loans cost (excluding mortgage) every month to explain how I could be in the food queue if I was unemployed again.

Phone €40
Internet €20
Loan repayment €250 (per month)
Sky €22.50
Car Insurance €50 (monthly direct debit)
Car Tax €30
House Insurance €26 (monthly direct debit)
Electricity Approx €50 a month
Gas Approx €50 a month
TV licence €160 per year
Refuse collection €220 per year approx (bins weighed so varies a bit)
Contact lenses €25 a month

I could easily have forgotten something there. That's before food and petrol and I have no children to feed.

Some people pay rent out of the €200 because they don't have rent allowance.

I know somebody who claims disability when she really could work. The €200 a week is exclusively pocket money in her case. She doesn't pay any rent, lives in a house belonging to her parents. She regularly goes on holidays with the taxpayers money she gets. There are many people like her who are living it up on the dole and others who pay all the bills I've listed out of the dole and are lucky to have anything left for food let alone alcohol or cigarettes.

People's circumstances are so different there is no correct amount of money that an unemployed person should be able to live on.

I fear that the publicity given to the food packages will cause the queue to double in size next week now that everybody knows about it. And as the queue gets longer it will less embarassing to be there.

SheroN

sunnyside wrote: »

Phone €40 - move to pre pay and limit the calls you make
Internet €20 - use internet cafes if and when you need internet access
Loan repayment €250 (per month) - try to defer payment
Sky €22.50 - cancel your sky and go back to indoor aerial
Car Insurance €50 (monthly direct debit) you shouldn't be able to run a car while on the dole
Car Tax €30 - same as insurance above
House Insurance €26 (monthly direct debit)
Electricity Approx €50 a month
Gas Approx €50 a month
TV licence €160 per year - i believe you don't have to pay this should you be on social welfare
Refuse collection €220 per year approx (bins weighed so varies a bit)
Contact lenses €25 a month - wear glasses



I fear that the publicity given to the food packages will cause the queue to double in size next week now that everybody knows about it. And as the queue gets longer it will less embarassing to be there. - I agree, i think had some of the people in the queue known about it sooner they would have been there years ago!

.

Heineken Helen

sunnyside wrote: »

I agree. €200 is loads to live on if you have no outgoings or debts. I'm listing approx what my bills and loans cost (excluding mortgage) every month to explain how I could be in the food queue if I was unemployed again.

Phone €40
Internet €20
Loan repayment €250 (per month)
Sky €22.50
Car Insurance €50 (monthly direct debit)
Car Tax €30
House Insurance €26 (monthly direct debit)
Electricity Approx €50 a month
Gas Approx €50 a month
TV licence €160 per year
Refuse collection €220 per year approx (bins weighed so varies a bit)
Contact lenses €25 a month

You do see how you could save money there though? you could easily get rid of the telly and the car... burn your own rubbish... get a pair of glasses... buy a blanket... I would say get rid of the internet but that's an important part of job searching... so I'll let ya have it (since we're all allowed judge everyone and where their money goes, right?)

Guy:Incognito

sunnyside wrote: »

Phone €40
Internet €20
Loan repayment €250 (per month)
Sky €22.50
Car Insurance €50 (monthly direct debit)
Car Tax €30
House Insurance €26 (monthly direct debit)
Electricity Approx €50 a month
Gas Approx €50 a month
TV licence €160 per year
Refuse collection €220 per year approx (bins weighed so varies a bit)
Contact lenses €25 a month

I could easily have forgotten something there. That's before food and petrol and I have no children to feed.
.

I would assume, at the very least that you'd be dropping the phone, internet and sky as aoon as yu found yourself on the dole, no? If not you shouyld be kicked out of any queue for free anything.

Heineken Helen wrote: »

I would say get rid of the internet but that's an important part of job searching

It is if you have it and can afford it. Just because everyone is too lazy noadays to go outside their door to look for a job it doesnt mean it cant be done. Fas have offices for this kind of thing for a start. The library (the wha?) has internet.

Mark200

Mark200 wrote: »

I think it's shocking that our Government are still sending 100's of millions overseas to feed poor people there, when there's quite clearly poor people here that aren't getting fed. I'm all for charity in any form, but you should be helping the people closer to home first.

Rather have the money given to deserving people in Africa rather than Junkie scum.

SheroN

Also does no one put a little bit of money away for a rainy day any more?

So they don't have to live on just the social welfare?

Upward Spiral

Upward Spiral wrote: »

Wow there's a lot of resentment towards people on the Dole from members here. I had to sign on last week for the first time in my life and I feel shamed to admit that here after reading the obnoxious generalized comments that some of you make. Would you prefer people not sign on and maybe top themselves instead? Which isn't as big of an exaggeration as you'd think. Suicide cases have already increased dramatically since the recession began, and bankers only make up a small percentage of it... =p

Suicide rates usually go down when the economy is ****e.Basically due to the"We are all in the one boat together" attitide.

Heineken Helen

SheroN wrote: »

Also does no one put a little bit of money away for a rainy day any more?

So they don't have to live on just the social welfare?

Do you REALLY think I'm paying my rent, bills, food, etc. on the £60 a week? Or that I could do that on 200euro a week? It's all well and good to save for a rainy day... but a rainy YEAR is quite expensive :rolleyes:

SheroN

Heineken Helen wrote: »

Do you REALLY think I'm paying my rent, bills, food, etc. on the £60 a week? Or that I could do that on 200euro a week? It's all well and good to save for a rainy day... but a rainy YEAR is quite expensive :rolleyes:

I could do it on 200 euro a month (with rent allowance).

Get a career that is recession proof ie working in the health industry

Heineken Helen

Stekelly wrote: »

It is if you have it and can afford it. Just because everyone is too lazy noadays to go outside their door to look for a job it doesnt mean it cant be done. Fas have offices for this kind of thing for a start. The library (the wha?) has internet.

I've been corresponding with potential employers via email up to 9pm. My library isn't open that late. And if it wasn't for that, I wouldn't have got the interviews most likely... didn't get the job but it's such an important part of jobseeking having the internet at home in MY experience. You need to have almost constant access.

I HAVE gone out looking for jobs... plenty of times! Sometimes it's saves sooo much more time sitting on the internet. I can apply for about 40 jobs an hour sitting on my arse, rather than calling into 4 or 5 places who probably aren't looking for somebody.

Heineken Helen

SheroN wrote: »

I could do it on 200 euro a month (with rent allowance).

WITH rent allowance.

Heineken Helen

Deleted User wrote: »

Get a career that is recession proof ie working in the health industry

Good for you that you were able to foresee this coming when you were in school and deciding what career to go for :rolleyes: or was it just luck that it tied in to what you WANTED to do anyway?

Heineken Helen

Heineken Helen wrote: »

Good for you that you were able to foresee this coming when you were in school and deciding what career to go for :rolleyes: or was it just luck that it tied in to what you WANTED to do anyway?

Well, the property bubble was going to burst eventually, you would have want to be pretty dim to think labourers buying jeeps and multiple houses for what is an essentially unskilled job.
It was a question of when, not if.

Heineken Helen

Deleted User wrote: »

Well, the property bubble was going to burst eventually, you would have want to be pretty dim to think labourers buying jeeps and multiple houses for what is an essentially unskilled job.
It was a question of when, not if.

so somebody working in, say, a computer firm, or a camping shop, or as a sporting coach or in an insurance company should have all seen that they were going to lose their jobs and became nurses? :rolleyes:

Did everybody who's on the dole work in the property bubble???? :eek: That's news to me and probably everybody if so.

sunnyside

Heineken Helen wrote: »

You do see how you could save money there though? you could easily get rid of the telly and the car... burn your own rubbish... get a pair of glasses... buy a blanket... I would say get rid of the internet but that's an important part of job searching... so I'll let ya have it (since we're all allowed judge everyone and where their money goes, right?)

I could live without the car but how about someone who needs it to bring the children to school or who lives in a very rural area

Burning household rubbish is illegal. Even if it wasn't I don't think the neighbours would appreciate me starting a fire in the car park.

I need a new pair of glasses. My lenses would be extremely thick if I did not pay the extra cost of thinning them down (bad eyesight:() The cost of new glasses is around €250 with the special lenses. I'm working and I can't afford that just now. But this isn't about me and my personal finances, I'm just trying to explain how it could be difficult to live on €200.

Internet isn't free in most libraries. It's €1 for an hour or sometimes for half an hour. Paying for that daily is actually more expensive than having the internet at home and printing costs a lot in internet cafe's or libraries.

Internet and/or television are kind of necessary for unemployed people for mental health reasons.

I don't believe the majority of people in the food queue would be going without all of these things.

Terry

sunnyside wrote: »

I agree. €200 is loads to live on if you have no outgoings or debts. I'm listing approx what my bills and loans cost (excluding mortgage) every month to explain how I could be in the food queue if I was unemployed again.

Phone €40
Internet €20
Loan repayment €250 (per month)
Sky €22.50
Car Insurance €50 (monthly direct debit)
Car Tax €30
House Insurance €26 (monthly direct debit)
Electricity Approx €50 a month *
Gas Approx €50 a month*
TV licence €160 per year
Refuse collection €220 per year approx (bins weighed so varies a bit)
Contact lenses €25 a month

I could easily have forgotten something there. That's before food and petrol and I have no children to feed.

Some people pay rent out of the €200 because they don't have rent allowance.

I know somebody who claims disability when she really could work. The €200 a week is exclusively pocket money in her case. She doesn't pay any rent, lives in a house belonging to her parents. She regularly goes on holidays with the taxpayers money she gets. There are many people like her who are living it up on the dole and others who pay all the bills I've listed out of the dole and are lucky to have anything left for food let alone alcohol or cigarettes.

People's circumstances are so different there is no correct amount of money that an unemployed person should be able to live on.

I fear that the publicity given to the food packages will cause the queue to double in size next week now that everybody knows about it. And as the queue gets longer it will less embarassing to be there.

Everything emboldened is a luxury.
You're looking at just over €100 a month on the others. *You could cut that back by being careful with usage.

sunnyside wrote: »

I could live without the car but how about someone who needs it to bring the children to school or who lives in a very rural area

Burning household rubbish is illegal. Even if it wasn't I don't think the neighbours would appreciate me starting a fire in the car park.

I need a new pair of glasses. My lenses would be extremely thick if I did not pay the extra cost of thinning them down (bad eyesight:() The cost of new glasses is around €250 with the special lenses. I'm working and I can't afford that just now. But this isn't about me and my personal finances, I'm just trying to explain how it could be difficult to live on €200.

Internet isn't free in most libraries. It's €1 for an hour or sometimes for half an hour. Paying for that daily is actually more expensive than having the internet at home and printing costs a lot in internet cafe's or libraries.

Internet and/or television are kind of necessary for unemployed people for mental health reasons.

I don't believe the majority of people in the food queue would be going without all of these things.

You're taking the piss, right?
Let them use their chubbly little legs.
Half of the problem in this country is people taking luxury items for granted.
You're all in for a bit of a shock as this gradually gets worse.

waxon-waxoff

I used to live in Smithfield near the Capuchian Friary where they hand out food. Back in the boom times two years ago, the crowd going in was half junkies and half Eastern Europeans. The latter were dressed ok and didnt look homeless at all.

The people in the Friary are probably too polite to turn people away but as far as i could see there was very few genuine homeless going in. Their good nature is being abused, id guess most of those in queue are collecting social welfare and blowing it on beer and fags

Heineken Helen

sunnyside wrote: »

I could live without the car but how about someone who needs it to bring the children to school or who lives in a very rural area

Burning household rubbish is illegal. Even if it wasn't I don't think the neighbours would appreciate me starting a fire in the car park.

I need a new pair of glasses. My lenses would be extremely thick if I did not pay the extra cost of thinning them down (bad eyesight:() The cost of new glasses is around €250 with the special lenses. I'm working and I can't afford that just now. But this isn't about me and my personal finances, I'm just trying to explain how it could be difficult to live on €200.

Internet isn't free in most libraries. It's €1 for an hour or sometimes for half an hour. Paying for that daily is actually more expensive than having the internet at home and printing costs a lot in internet cafe's or libraries.

Internet and/or television are kind of necessary for unemployed people for mental health reasons.

I don't believe the majority of people in the food queue would be going without all of these things.

Sorry, I should have made it clearer that I was being sarcastic but I think if you're queueing up for free food, it's time to get rid of a few things that I consider essential

Heineken Helen

waxon-waxoff wrote: »

I used to live in Smithfield near the Capuchian Friary where they hand out food. Back in the boom times two years ago, the crowd going in was half junkies and half Eastern Europeans. The latter were dressed ok and didnt look homeless at all.

The people in the Friary are probably too polite to turn people away but as far as i could see there was very few genuine homeless going in. Their good nature is being abused, id guess most of those in queue are collecting social welfare and blowing it on beer and fags

what do homeless people look like? You might be very surprised

waxon-waxoff

Heineken Helen wrote: »

what do homeless people look like? You might be very surprised

Homeless people dont have clean clothes and shoes.

The queue will be bigger next week after the publicity. Its a pity as only a fraction of the people going here are genuine and taking valuable resources.

havana

waxon-waxoff wrote: »

Homeless people dont have clean clothes and shoes.

The queue will be bigger next week after the publicity. Its a pity as only a fraction of the people going here are genuine and taking valuable resources.

Being homeless does not mean you have to lose all pride in your appearance. And anyway you do not have to be homeless to need to collect a food parcel.

Acacia

junior_apollo wrote: »

how many of those people actually needed to be there?... Because im sure you'll find that there would have been the usual crowds who are just takers who did not see that there was people who actually needed help and support.. and instead with their own greed for free stuff took parcels.

Degsy wrote: »

While its absolutely sickening that anybody should have to rely on handouts in this day and age,there are some people who've been on handouts forever.
There are also people so greedy that they'll turn up at something like this to scab freebies that could've been better given to somebody else.

PCPhoto wrote: »

I agree with Stekelly .... theres a lot of people in the queues that dont look like they are starving - more like they hear theres free food available and go there.

I have my doubts about that. Who would (essentially) beg for food unless they really,really had to? The queue numbers have been increasing steadily over the past while apparently, which to me indicates that people on the bottom of society (not necessarily drug addicts or 'fcukin lazy dole-collecting scumbags', by the way) are having to turn to more desperate measures to provide for their families. I think most of them were probably genuine.

Upward Spiral wrote: »

Wow there's a lot of resentment towards people on the Dole from members here.

Don't you know that everyone on the dole is called Anto or Jacinta and has sixteen kids that are sponging off the state? They also all wear pyjamas during the day. :eek: The dregs of society they are....:rolleyes:

sunnyside wrote: »

I fear that the publicity given to the food packages will cause the queue to double in size next week now that everybody knows about it. And as the queue gets longer it will less embarassing to be there.

But our government should feel embarrassed that a first-world country has its citizens collecting food packages.

Somebody made an 'Angela's Ashes' reference a few pages back which I feel is quite apt.

Deleted User wrote: »

Rather have the money given to deserving people in Africa rather than Junkie scum.

Yes, because everyone collecting a food package is 'junkie scum'.:rolleyes:

SheroN wrote: »

Also does no one put a little bit of money away for a rainy day any more?

So they don't have to live on just the social welfare?

Kinda hard for students or recent graduates to do that. And in fairness savings will only stretch so far.

waxon-waxoff

havana wrote: »

Being homeless does not mean you have to lose all pride in your appearance. And anyway you do not have to be homeless to need to collect a food parcel.

The average homeless person does not have clean white trainers and light sports jackets. Plenty of them on the phone too! Anybody that lives in a city centre will know what a homeless person or a junkie looks like.

Im not here to argue what a bum looks like, im just suspicious about people looking for handouts. The staff in that place assume that people are honest and deserving. They feed the homeless as most of them dont claim social welfare and have no other way to get food. Where do you draw the line so at who deserves free food parcels? Half the country feel they deserve them at the moment. Even during the boom years that place was exploited but now its probably worse

m5ex9oqjawdg2i

junior_apollo wrote: »

how many of those people actually needed to be there?... Because im sure you'll find that there would have been the usual crowds who are just takers who did not see that there was people who actually needed help and support.. and instead with their own greed for free stuff took parcels.

Wednesday in the Capuchin centre is always busy... always. Not 700 busy though. On an average day they would have about 300-350 dinners. Breakfast is not as busy. There will be people there that do not need it and I have witnessed students from trinity and workers trying to get in there. It's both irish and non irish...

ejmaztec wrote: »

Would I be correct in assuming that the food parcels come from charitable donations - and not the self-destructive government?

Not sure how much comes from where exactly but they rely heavily on volunteers and donations from the public. Not sure if they get anything from the friary or the government, probably not.

WindSock wrote: »

I doubt many people would love queing with 700 mainly mentally ill and drug addicted folk to get some 'free nosh'

Ah, they are all mentally ill and drug addicted. Any other generalisations you want to make about them? From working there, I can tell you personally that they are not all mentally ill and drug addicted. Very very few are mentally ill, some are drug users and alcoholics, but there are also people there that are pioneers and never touched a drug, some people who just lost everything, for whatever reason and have no choice but to live on the streets and get free meals every day. Some very intelligent people there... it's unfortunate.

Stekelly wrote: »

About 2 years ago I was working on Nicholas avenue for a couple of months and watched each time this place opened. There were loads of people wandering up with their bags of shopping an queing for the free food. These people were normal folk (quite a few eastern europeans for soem reason , some in work clothes) , clean, laughing and joking with each other and certainly not starvign.

Some of them have their dunnes bag, but it's filled with everything they own, a change of clothes, a blanket or whatever. Can you honestly say that they all had bags of shopping? I haven't seen this in the 3 months I was there.

PCPhoto wrote: »

I agree with Stekelly .... theres a lot of people in the queues that dont look like they are starving - more like they hear theres free food available and go there.

There is a lot of foreign eastern european types - but you'll also have to accept that these are the people that were doing the "lower end" jobs and have been made redundant first.

"lower end" = jobs that some Irish people during the boom didnt want to do (ie. house cleaning, hotel staff, fast food staff, etc etc) ..... there wasnt a whole lot of depression amongst them - smiling/laughing - general conversation amongst each other and swapping items after they got their food parcels.

Yea there are people there from everywhere, england, poland, latvia, germany, italy, etc etc, and those are only the ones I know of. Being homeless doesn't mean you are not allowed to smile or have a laugh.

True there are some of them that look well off. They may have access to clean clothes and showers. They have showers and free clothes in the capuchin centre too, they can have a shave too. Might explain why they are not all in rags. Some look a little heavy, but this doesn't mean anything.

Mark200 wrote: »

I think it's shocking that our Government are still sending 100's of millions overseas to feed poor people there, when there's quite clearly poor people here that aren't getting fed. I'm all for charity in any form, but you should be helping the people closer to home first.

Some just don't want help, it's what they are used to. It's how they live. One guy comes in every few days on heroin, looking for help. He sees the doctor and goes on his way, same thing happens the week after... cycle will go on and on.

Stekelly wrote: »

A good few of the people I saw queing each time definately we NOT starving.

Oh? Did you give a medical exam? Starving is not the same as being emmaciated.

SheroN wrote: »

I could do it on 200 euro a month (with rent allowance).

No you couldn't. It's impossible.

Trinny. wrote: »

Everything emboldened is a luxury.
You're looking at just over €100 a month on the others. *You could cut that back by being careful with usage.

I disagree with removing the phone and the car. They are needed to secure work. Same with the internet. Sky TV is not needed.

sunnyside wrote: »

I fear that the publicity given to the food packages will cause the queue to double in size next week now that everybody knows about it. And as the queue gets longer it will less embarassing to be there.

It might do them good too, getting publicity = getting more donations. Believe me when I say those who live on the streets already know about the food packages. If the queues increase it is because more are in need of it I would say...

I forgot to mention that the centre gives out tokens for dinners and breakfasts, not sure if they do this for the food parcels.

Heineken Helen

Thank you for clarifying so much

I too was wondering how he knew they certainly weren't starving... was he expecting to hear everyones stomachs rumbling together????

And yes, I hope it doesn't come to it, but if I ever happen to lose everything, once you have the ability to laugh and smile, you still have something.

And a couple of people on this thread alone have already donated... the news may have got more... I'm guessing it did.

m5ex9oqjawdg2i

I cannot afford to donate anything, but I donated my time to help out for a while, some great people working down there, some great people seeking help there too. When I am better off financialy I will be making my way back to them, they are always in need of help.

petepooch

you know though it's been going on for a while now but with the propensity for "doom and gloom" in the media it's now getting press coverage. Of course you're right though it is terrible

gurramok

Just logged in first time since yesterday and reading over, I had never intended when starting the thread to have donations springing up, it was just to highlight the poverty thats out there as its mostly hidden from view so the thread has had very good unintended consequences!

And thats excellent about donations going in, I just donated 50quid as there are people out there less fortunate than us and need it just to survive.

Noopti wrote:

90% of those people probably came from the Bargain Alerts forum

Class, had me in stitches on this sad topic!

WindSock

Cecilia Tangy Preschool wrote: »

Ah, they are all mentally ill and drug addicted. Any other generalisations you want to make about them?

Just to clarify, I didn't say they were ALL mentally ill and drug addicts. I said many of them were. I am only going on account of information I had from someone who worked there and making the point that the majority in the queue, queue there because they have to. You of course work there yourself, so thanks for clearing my misinformation up.

WindSock

Stekelly wrote: »

A good few of the people I saw queing each time definately we NOT starving.

Of course they weren't starving. Very few people starve in this country. But very many are hungry. You can't tell whether a person is hungry or not. Unless it's me when I am a big grump.

WindSock

Trinny. wrote: »

Everything emboldened is a luxury.
You're looking at just over €100 a month on the others. *You could cut that back by being careful with usage.

I disagree. People need phones and the internet now, as much as they need a television. Some people need cars too. Especially (and I hate to say it) the elderly that live in parts of the country where public transport doesnt serve them well. Which is most of the country.

sunnyside

Trinny. wrote: »

You're taking the piss, right?
Let them use their chubbly little legs.
Half of the problem in this country is people taking luxury items for granted.
You're all in for a bit of a shock as this gradually gets worse.

Not really. If the children live a few miles from the school it wouldn't be safe or realistic for them to walk. The school bus in rural areas costs €300 per year per child. That's too expensive for some people. I know someone is going to suggest cycling next but the roads are dangerous, etc. All depends on where you live. But no I wasn't taking the piss, I was serious.

Are the people posting on here seriously suggesting that if they became unemployed they would happily get rid of their cars, televisions, phones and internet I can certainly understand replacing the plasma tv with a smaller older version tv, getting a smaller car.

Why are people suggesting that a phone isn't essentialI (not employed but still poor) don't have a landline. Instead I have a mobile phone which I need to keep in touch with parents/family. Obviously I also use it for social calls. A phone is needed to make appointments, in case of emergency and especially needed if you are looking for a job to contact/be contactable by employers. Almost every 10 year old in the country owns a mobile phone, I think it's very necessary for adults. But not the latest iphone, just a regular one.

Phone credit costs more than bill phones (so long as you use common sense). All calls to landlines and calls and texts to O2 network are included in my flat-rate plan. I used to have a credit phone but it's just too expensive. If you made 2 short calls to a landline (to enquire about jobs) €10 phone credit would be gone in minutes.

In my case the contact lenses are a medical expense. If your eyesight was like mine you would fully understand. Don't worry the taxpayer isn't buying them for me, I'm still working. Somebody else would be spending that money on cigarettes or alcohol.

BUT I do honestly believe that people who are unemployed should be allowed some social life/lifestyle spending. A small amount obviously but unemployment can cause mental health problems.

Who could honestly expect somebody to sit in the house all day every day for a long period of time with no tv, no internet, no car, no phone, only a blanket for heatingThat is unrealistic and would end up costing the taxpayer more in mental health services down the line. They could however buy Tesco Value food, get rid of the SKY sports, have 2 pints on a Saturday night instead of meals out and cocktails, put the heating on as little as possible.



My point is that people would change their view of what's essential very quickly if asked to live the lifestyle they are proposing.

Heineken Helen wrote: »

Sorry, I should have made it clearer that I was being sarcastic but I think if you're queueing up for free food, it's time to get rid of a few things that I consider essential

I personally am not queuing for free food, I was just trying to explain how some people have a lot of expenses and would find it more difficult than others to live on €200.

If I lived in Dublin, I'd volunteer to help with the free dinners for a few hours, do some washing up or similar. I like doing practical things to help instead of giving money. I'd probably bring a bag of groceries with me on the day I was volunteering too. The publicity might bring them a few volunteers. Hopefully anyway. I think it would also be good if people who accept free food from there volunteered for a few hours in return or donated a few bags of food when they get back to work again.

Traditional

Its a wake up call , the country will have food riots by the end the year . we could even run out of food , can anybody see an end to this crisis ?

neantog

The only spongers in this country are bankers, developers, politicians, big business executives, and their powerful cronies.

Harsh critisism, moral outrage, and indignation, should be saved for those people, for their corruption, incompetence, and greed.

Those who work for a wage, or have been made redundant - or are otherwise unemployed - are all managing as best they can, in increasingly trying circumstances in this country.

Working class people, waged, or unwaged, should collectively support, not fight, each other.

Petty crititism of individuals in unfortunate circumstances, as has been displayed in this thread and elsewhere, is completely unwarranted, and ultimately counter-productive

Terry

WindSock wrote: »

I disagree. People need phones and the internet now, as much as they need a television. Some people need cars too. Especially (and I hate to say it) the elderly that live in parts of the country where public transport doesnt serve them well. Which is most of the country.

sunnyside wrote: »

Not really. If the children live a few miles from the school it wouldn't be safe or realistic for them to walk. The school bus in rural areas costs €300 per year per child. That's too expensive for some people. I know someone is going to suggest cycling next but the roads are dangerous, etc. All depends on where you live. But no I wasn't taking the piss, I was serious.

Are the people posting on here seriously suggesting that if they became unemployed they would happily get rid of their cars, televisions, phones and internet I can certainly understand replacing the plasma tv with a smaller older version tv, getting a smaller car.

Why are people suggesting that a phone isn't essentialI (not employed but still poor) don't have a landline. Instead I have a mobile phone which I need to keep in touch with parents/family. Obviously I also use it for social calls. A phone is needed to make appointments, in case of emergency and especially needed if you are looking for a job to contact/be contactable by employers. Almost every 10 year old in the country owns a mobile phone, I think it's very necessary for adults. But not the latest iphone, just a regular one.

Phone credit costs more than bill phones (so long as you use common sense). All calls to landlines and calls and texts to O2 network are included in my flat-rate plan. I used to have a credit phone but it's just too expensive. If you made 2 short calls to a landline (to enquire about jobs) €10 phone credit would be gone in minutes.

In my case the contact lenses are a medical expense. If your eyesight was like mine you would fully understand. Don't worry the taxpayer isn't buying them for me, I'm still working. Somebody else would be spending that money on cigarettes or alcohol.

BUT I do honestly believe that people who are unemployed should be allowed some social life/lifestyle spending. A small amount obviously but unemployment can cause mental health problems.

Who could honestly expect somebody to sit in the house all day every day for a long period of time with no tv, no internet, no car, no phone, only a blanket for heatingThat is unrealistic and would end up costing the taxpayer more in mental health services down the line. They could however buy Tesco Value food, get rid of the SKY sports, have 2 pints on a Saturday night instead of meals out and cocktails, put the heating on as little as possible.



My point is that people would change their view of what's essential very quickly if asked to live the lifestyle they are proposing.



I personally am not queuing for free food, I was just trying to explain how some people have a lot of expenses and would find it more difficult than others to live on €200.

If I lived in Dublin, I'd volunteer to help with the free dinners for a few hours, do some washing up or similar. I like doing practical things to help instead of giving money. I'd probably bring a bag of groceries with me on the day I was volunteering too. The publicity might bring them a few volunteers. Hopefully anyway. I think it would also be good if people who accept free food from there volunteered for a few hours in return or donated a few bags of food when they get back to work again.

I'm going to address both posts with the one reply.

Ok. Fair enough on some of the points there.
I live in a suburban area and I'm fairly close to Dublin.
There are two train stations in my town and a relatively decent bus service.

I suppose my main gripe is with people driving their kids to school.
See the attached map for reference.
To the right of the black line (representing the Rye river, which google seem to have missed) is where I live. As you can see, it's quite a small area and the furthest anyone has to travel is about two kilometers to get from East to West.
The primary schools are at the end of the road, yet there are usually around 100 cars in the area every day with people dropping their kids off to school.
This is completely needless. It's just ****ing laziness if you ask me.

Phones:
One is more than enough. Preferably a mobile, so that you don't miss calls when you are out. Cut down on the needless chitchat and your bill won't be too big.

TV:
I moved my PC up to my bedroom last month. I do not have a tv connection up here and have not watched tv since the move. I don't miss it.
Any shows I want to see are available on-line.

Internet:
Public library or local job centre.
Get a couple of books while you're there.

Contact lenses: Get a couple of decent pairs of glasses from specsavers.
Vanity goes out the window when there is a recession.

~70% of the population live in towns and cities.

mikemac

Terry wrote: »

The primary schools are at the end of the road, yet there are usually around 100 cars in the area every day with people dropping their kids off to school.
This is completely needless. It's just ****ing laziness if you ask me.

Completly agree with you though I don't live in your area. In my area, my regular and excellent bus service passes three primary schools. The difference between getting the bus to work at 8am and 8:30am is like night and day. Traffic explodes near the school as people block bus lanes and park on cycle lanes and footpaths.
Hey, you make an effort and walk, cycle or use public transport and you end up getting penalized for it like a sucker! Why bother :mad:

Terry wrote: »

Contact lenses: Get a couple of decent pairs of glasses from specsavers.
Vanity goes out the window when there is a recession.

Do you know how much glasses cost?
You can easily pay up to 300 euro on a pair of glasses. To be fair you'll probably get a pair of sunglasses for that too that you can use for driving.
If you've poor eyesight then thinning the glasses is extra.
Contact lenses is well worth imo but 30 euro per month.
And eye surgury is 3,000 but money back through health insurance and tax back. In the long run it's cost effective but if you are on the dole or minimum wage, who has 3k?

Terry wrote: »

~70% of the population live in towns and cities.

What's your point?
My area is a rural area. We do have the school bus service using cast-off Bus Eireann buses, costs 300 euro per year.

Oh, and the Social Welfare lay on one bus a week for the pensioners as the local post office closed but that's ok as there is a bus every Tuesday.
I read posts on boards from Dubs moaning about inadequate Dart and bus services. Here's one bus service a week, now manage!

This post isn't aimed at you Terry. I think the government should be putting more money into public transport not less. Yes, this is taking into account the recession

meathstevie

Traditional wrote: »

Its a wake up call , the country will have food riots by the end the year . we could even run out of food , can anybody see an end to this crisis ?

I can't for love nor money see the situation happening that Ireland could run out of food in current climate conditions. The only reason why shelves could be bare would be exactly the same as the Famine : economical. The population of Ireland wouldn't be physically capable to eat one years' agricultural production over two years. And that's without mentioning the likes of deer, rabbit, hare, woodpigeon, duck, pheasant, geese, trout, pike, salmon etc etc that can be hunted or fished for.

mikemac

Traditional wrote: »

Its a wake up call , the country will have food riots by the end the year . we could even run out of food , can anybody see an end to this crisis ?

Obviously not from a farming background!
Even during the famine there was enough food in Ireland to feed three times the population. The problem was it was being exported.
Do you not remember the foot & mouth crisis, possibly Fianna Fails finest hour, 80% of beef and mutton is exported, do you think if this is kept in Ireland and prices jacked up we wouldn't run out of food?

Seriously, the country will go bankrupt long before it runs out of food.

Run_to_da_hills

Count ourselves lucky that we don't have any FEMA camps yet. :eek:

http://www.californiachronicle.com/articles/view/52678