Christmas bonus - gone!!

Cathy666

I work hard all year, I don't get a bonus at Christmas. So why should my taxes pay for people who spend their lives on the social welfare to get a Christmas bonus. Save up like the rest of us and quit whinging.
Job Seekers Allowance welfare, as said earlier in this thread, should be reduced by a set amount for every year after the first 12 months, in my opinion. There have been people sitting on the dole, even in the height of the Celtic Tiger, with no intention of getting a job and guess what, they still have no intention of getting one now. These are the people who should be hit hardest. We have one of the most generous welfare systems in the EU, yet people are so self-centred that they still moan over a Christmas bonus, even though the country is going to ****. Save up and buy Christmas presents in advance or stop being so materialistic. Why should the Government and tax-payers, like me, pay for Christmas? That's ridiculous.

Aidric

Good Riddance.

Richard Dower

sub-x wrote: »

What about the OAP's on state pensions that have nothing else ???

Well said!, not everyone getting the bonus blow it on falling about drunk.

Richard Dower

Materilism applies to ALL of us!!, working or not...working people have houses and cars, all material things. Basically what you're saying is a working person deserves a better Xmas then someone on the dole??

That maybe true, but not all dole are scroungers and tryna get something for nothing, but i admit there are plenty who do....perhaps a more robust means testing is required?

Or, force people to work...even if it's cleaning the streets or fixing things.

ionix5891

Richard Dower wrote: »

Materilism applies to ALL of us!!, working or not...working people have houses and cars, all material things. Basically what you're saying is a working person deserves a better Xmas then someone on the dole??

That maybe true, but not all dole are scroungers and tryna get something for nothing, but i admit there are plenty who do....perhaps a more robust means testing is required?

Or, force people to work...even if it's cleaning the streets or fixing things.

means testing costs money

theres a simpler solution which is done in US

half the payments every month since the start

that be enough incentive to find work

Basically what you're saying is a working person deserves a better Xmas

uhm yes they are! these people get of their arse and do something the deserve better everything than someone who doesnt

in other countries, no job == bad things happen

about time people learn harsh realities of life

RonMexico

People complaining about not getting a "bonus" have a cheek. Consider yourself lucky you got anything at all or that you are living in a country that considered it in the first place. I wonder how many other countries give a bonus at Christmas. Sweet F.A. is what they give.

Kimbot

NTLsucks wrote: »

did u ever think someone of us might'n t want a job? there is such thing as the right not to work in soceity you know. what are people who dont want a job supposed to do for xmas now that the bonus is gone?

If they don't want a job then they should find some other way of getting money.
Why on earth should people be allowed dole if they don't want to get a job?

NTLsucks wrote: »

for god sake i didnt say i would never want a job..just dont want one for the moment with summer just around the corner..there is no way im spendin a summer flipping burgers in mcdonalds like a retard when i could be out havin a few cans and a laugh. maybe i might try for one after the summer if i feel up for it but with the country in a mess cos of the government there is a high chance i wont find one. then where does that leave me??

it is highly likely i will be still on the dole by xmas and then it will be like the goverment is twisting the knife in our backs by taking a way the bonus while everyone else gets to enjoy xmas. why should the poorest section of soceity suffer the most at xmas by losing the bonus, explain that to me?

Yeah and when summer is over you won't want a job because christmas is around the corner then when thats over you won't want a job because something else is around the corner!

They are not twisting a knife in your back, what €204 less per year and your worried??

What about those that are working on minimum wage getting taxed more because of todays budget? They are loosing more than €204 a year.

Because of this pension levy alone, I'm down at least €2000 this year.
Then add the increased levy's etc from the budget.
I'm not whinging about it because it has to be done to keep this country afloat for the meantime in anyway.

Everyone should be hit with cutbacks and extra taxes at somepoint.

Cathy666 wrote: »

I work hard all year, I don't get a bonus at Christmas. So why should my taxes pay for people who spend their lives on the social welfare to get a Christmas bonus. Save up like the rest of us and quit whinging.
Job Seekers Allowance welfare, as said earlier in this thread, should be reduced by a set amount for every year after the first 12 months, in my opinion. There have been people sitting on the dole, even in the height of the Celtic Tiger, with no intention of getting a job and guess what, they still have no intention of getting one now. These are the people who should be hit hardest. We have one of the most generous welfare systems in the EU, yet people are so self-centred that they still moan over a Christmas bonus, even though the country is going to ****. Save up and buy Christmas presents in advance or stop being so materialistic. Why should the Government and tax-payers, like me, pay for Christmas? That's ridiculous.

Ah will you stop.... you didn't get that bonus because you spent all day every day on the internet....

sunnyside

Richard Dower wrote: »

. Basically what you're saying is a working person deserves a better Xmas then someone on the dole??


Or, force people to work...even if it's cleaning the streets or fixing things.

A working person deserves to have more money to spend on material goods. But money doesn't buy happiness anyway so it's not going to decide who has a more enjoyable Christmas.

We have well paid staff cleaning the streets, not much point in them loosing their jobs so that unemployed people can do it instead. What would that solve?

Newaglish

Richard Dower wrote: »

Materilism applies to ALL of us!!, working or not...working people have houses and cars, all material things. Basically what you're saying is a working person deserves a better Xmas then someone on the dole??

That maybe true, but not all dole are scroungers and tryna get something for nothing, but i admit there are plenty who do....perhaps a more robust means testing is required?

Or, force people to work...even if it's cleaning the streets or fixing things.

So what you're saying is the government should fund the material aspect of Christmas for you?

Do you think more money = better Christmas? That doesn't sound very Christian to me.

It was nonsense to begin with anyway. Why don't we give out a bloody bonus for Ramadan. I'd say the majority of people getting this Christmas bonus haven't been inside a church in years.

People need to wake up and realise that if you're unemployed, you're going to be poor. You're not going to be buying a house, car, TV, new clothes etc. like all the working folk.

The purpose of benefits is to stop people from being deprived, not poor. You should still be able to enjoy a basic standard of living ie. food, reasonable accomodation, reasonable entertainment (not €100 nights out 4 times a month). You're not supposed to be able to buy an XBox for yourself for Christmas.

IrishLady

kilns wrote: »

I believe the dole should be reduced the longer a person has been on it. There have been people sitting on the dole even in the good time with no intention of getting a job and have no intention now, these are the people who should be hit and we all know who these kind of people are

Couldnt of said it better meself...

NTLsucks

Cathy666 wrote: »

I work hard all year, I don't get a bonus at Christmas. So why should my taxes pay for people who spend their lives on the social welfare to get a Christmas bonus. Save up like the rest of us and quit whinging.
Job Seekers Allowance welfare, as said earlier in this thread, should be reduced by a set amount for every year after the first 12 months, in my opinion. There have been people sitting on the dole, even in the height of the Celtic Tiger, with no intention of getting a job and guess what, they still have no intention of getting one now. These are the people who should be hit hardest. We have one of the most generous welfare systems in the EU, yet people are so self-centred that they still moan over a Christmas bonus, even though the country is going to ****. Save up and buy Christmas presents in advance or stop being so materialistic. Why should the Government and tax-payers, like me, pay for Christmas? That's ridiculous.

Reduce jobseekers? Are you joking, it is only 204 a week for god sake. You want to reduce the income of the poorest section of soceity...for god sake why would you take even more money off people who already have very little, that is a typical FF tactic. the xmas bonus is essentail to some people, u mightnt realise it but not all of us can afford to buy presents and have a bit of a laugh in the pub without it..the bonus gives us the opportunity to enjoy xmas like other members of soceity.

whats rediculous is the people in this thread who want to take more money off the poorest sectoin of soceity, the people who are on the dole and who may be on it for a long time.

CamperMan

why should the dole bums get a christmas bonus, it's about time that was stopped!!!

Kimbot

NTLsucks wrote: »

Reduce jobseekers? Are you joking, it is only 204 a week for god sake. You want to reduce the income of the poorest section of soceity...for god sake why would you take even more money off people who already have very little, that is a typical FF tactic. the xmas bonus is essentail to some people, u mightnt realise it but not all of us can afford to buy presents and have a bit of a laugh in the pub without it..the bonus gives us the opportunity to enjoy xmas like other members of soceity.

whats rediculous is the people in this thread who want to take more money off the poorest sectoin of soceity, the people who are on the dole and who may be on it for a long time.

Oh so the tax payer has to pay for you to have a laugh in the pub now??

I can't even remember the last time I was in a pub or had any sort of a night out. You don't see the government giving me a bonus so I can go out now do you?

I enjoy christmas and don't spend a fortune to do so either. I normally have to save up for a few months just to make sure I can get something small for the nephews and nieces every year. How come you can't do the same with your normal money and forget about going out once a week etc.

NTLsucks

NTLsucks wrote: »

Reduce jobseekers? Are you joking, it is only 204 a week for god sake. You want to reduce the income of the poorest section of soceity...for god sake why would you take even more money off people who already have very little, that is a typical FF tactic. the xmas bonus is essentail to some people, u mightnt realise it but not all of us can afford to buy presents and have a bit of a laugh in the pub without it..the bonus gives us the opportunity to enjoy xmas like other members of soceity.

whats rediculous is the people in this thread who want to take more money off the poorest sectoin of soceity, the people who are on the dole and who may be on it for a long time.

No one is advocating taking money from the poorest of the poor, just people like you who seem to relish in abusing the system. in fact if anything it's you anr you kind who are taking money from the people who truly deserve it.

Are your parents and siblings in long term employement or has your entire family been defrauding the government for as long as possible.

aare

Cancelling the Christmas payment (specifically for 2009), though sad, is actually quite a shrewd move.

It's better to cancel it now than to wait until Budget 2010 when people will already be counting on it. On the other hand, if there is an upturn, there is still room to restore it just in time for Christmas as a, relatively cheap, much needed, boost to morale...

Also, they are throwing around this "effective 2%" reduction in social welfare, when, in fact it would take a 3% reduction in the social welfare base rate to achieve the same figure in the same time frame, and, of course, they couldn't give THAT back in time for Christmas, not matter what.

These are horrible times...but, on the whole, this was a good move.

Cathy666

NTLsucks wrote: »

Reduce jobseekers? Are you joking, it is only 204 a week for god sake. You want to reduce the income of the poorest section of soceity...for god sake why would you take even more money off people who already have very little, that is a typical FF tactic. the xmas bonus is essentail to some people, u mightnt realise it but not all of us can afford to buy presents and have a bit of a laugh in the pub without it..the bonus gives us the opportunity to enjoy xmas like other members of soceity.

whats rediculous is the people in this thread who want to take more money off the poorest sectoin of soceity, the people who are on the dole and who may be on it for a long time.

Yes, reduce it. €204 is plenty, more than is deserved to be honest. Judging by your previous posts in this thread, you don't deserve to be receiving €204. Let's just recap on two of your earlier posts:

did u ever think someone of us might'n t want a job? there is such thing as the right not to work in soceity you know. what are people who dont want a job supposed to do for xmas now that the bonus is gone?

there is no way im spendin a summer flipping burgers in mcdonalds like a retard when i could be out havin a few cans and a laugh.

Why should my hard-earned tax money fund your drinking habits? Cop on! I have no sympathy for people like you. Apparently it's not a FF tactic, or did you miss the budget today where they didn't reduce the benefit, lucky for you.:rolleyes: If you're not working, you need to alter your lifestyle to suit your income. I work crazy hours every week while you're off in the pub. It's a tough life, isn't it. You either need to cop on or else get down from your high horse and get a job flipping burgers.

O'Coonassa

They save about €150m per year doing this. If they hadn't given several billions to the banks then they wouldn't need to. Problem is that the political class don't want their other mates in the oligarchy to take the hit for their greed and bad gambling problems. Robbing the Christmas presents from the poorest kids in the country is a pretty shabby way for them to go about it I think.

po candidate

nice guy, how do you know that person is'nt using a library computer??, Its easy for people who hav'ent been affected by all of this yet ie loosing their jobs etc to begruge people on the dole, its no standard of living, i work and consider myself very lucky, but if i loose my job, i will NEED the dole,it is'nt the people on the dole that have put this country on its knees, its the scumbag bankers and developers, apart from the very few who ;ike not working, theres no incentive in being on the dole many don't have a choice now and either will any of you if you lose your job cos you won't just walk back into employment, not for atleast 18 months maybe longer.

O'Coonassa

Cathy666 wrote: »

I work hard all year, I don't get a bonus at Christmas. So why should my taxes pay for people who spend their lives on the social welfare to get a Christmas bonus.

Yes far better that instead many many times more of our tax money goes to the banksters, they're far more worthy than mere poor people and their kids at Christmas, what do they think it is the season of goodwill or something.

Good.

old boy

i suppose the 90 million to relieve the toxic debt of the banks is less than the extra week to the less well off at christmas.

NTLsucks

O'Coonassa wrote: »

They save about €150m per year doing this. If they hadn't given several billions to the banks then they wouldn't need to. Problem is that the political class don't want their other mates in the oligarchy to take the hit for their greed and bad gambling problems. Robbing the Christmas presents from the poorest kids in the country is a pretty shabby way for them to go about it I think.

well said

Richard Dower

It's 90 BILLION!!

daveirl

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joeystrider

I think, in order for it to be a fair budget, both the bankers and those on social welfare should bear the brunt. Not one or the other or neither.

Gary ITR

Christmas 2006... Got an extra weeks wages from my employer
Christmas 2007... Got a €30 all for one voucher
Christmas 2008... Got a christmas card

So it's been 2 years since I got a christmas bonus that was worth something.

carlybabe1

Cost of living has dropped but standard welfare is at the same level.

Eh let me know where you do your shopping, cause any supermarket Ive shopped in has upped thier prices

I don't have a problem with a reduction in rent supplement either. Rents have dropped massively. I think single people getting rent allowance have a very good standard of living at the moment.

Id love to know where you're getting your information cause when you're getting rent allowance its anything but a decent standard of living. And if you try to get a job, or indeed get a fas course they deduct everything bar 50 euros a week from your rent allowance.

I believe in protecting them, I believe in not making them have to live on crap food and I think it should cover some extra entertainment. I think the current welfare allowances are more than enough.

Are you a politician by any chance, cause you're that out of touch with the reality of having to live on the dole

Anyone complaining is either not on it or doesn't realise the state of the economy in which case you mustn't be looking for work.

Oh the IRONY :rolleyes: try spending some time getting your facts straight before posting your opinions

hellboy99

You have to laugh/wonder what they think of us, the people of Ireland, sod the people on welfare that need this at Xmas but they won't lower/stop the money they give to overseas aid.

That's this coutry all over, look after everyone else, foreigners here and overseas and sod us Irish :mad:

ionix5891

hellboy99 wrote: »

You have to laugh/wonder what they think of us, the people of Ireland, sod the people on welfare that need this at Xmas but they won't lower/stop the money they give to overseas aid.

That's this coutry all over, look after everyone else, foreigners here and overseas and sod us Irish :mad:

i would rather my taxmoney help starving children in places that have no food (indirectly caused by the crazy Irish/EU agricultural policies)

than go to people complaining here that they wont afford a holiday on the dole this year

daveirl

This post has been deleted.