Oh how i wish my parents were bums and had been living off the state all their lives.

samsemtex

Elmo wrote: »

Sorry I thought the OP was looking for something useful now that I read back the OP actually wants to live of the state

Just read your little bullsh*t comment there. Where do i say i want to live off the state? So me wanting the state to pay me something while i look for a job, which i have been doing almost non-stop since i finished college, is wanting to live off the state?

And yes i would prefer live off the state for the short time that i intend to be doing it, rather than put even more pressure on the people i have been living off for the last 23 years. I have paid plenty of PRSI over the years i just never reached the threshold because i couldn't ever work full time.

I'm 23, why should my parents have to pay for me? If people who live outside the home get rent allowance AND Dole, why shouldnt i get some dole since i dont need the rent allowance?

freedom of info

samsemtex wrote: »

Just read your little bullsh*t comment there. Where do i say i want to live off the state? So me wanting the state to pay me something while i look for a job, which i have been doing almost non-stop since i finished college, is wanting to live off the state?

And yes i would prefer live off the state for the short time that i intend to be doing it, rather than put even more pressure on the people i have been living off for the last 23 years. I have paid plenty of PRSI over the years i just never reached the threshold because i couldn't ever work full time.

I'm 23, why should my parents have to pay for me? If people who live outside the home get rent allowance AND Dole, why shouldnt i get some dole since i dont need the rent allowance?

you should receive something, even a reduced level of dole, unfortunately its not going to happen, i have had similar run ins with some of the deluded on boards, if you are actively seeking work, then you are not a bum.

some people have made social welfare a career move, the rest of us, the vast majority signing on have contributed to this country huge amounts of money, yet we are being scape goated, referred to as freeloaders and bums, my advice to you is this,ignore those who are attempting to goad you,focus on the positive replies, and dont let the bastards grind you down.

johnnyskeleton

samsemtex wrote: »

What the **** does my parents income have to do with me getting social welfare? Im 23 yet MY PARENTS have to be means tested in order for MY entitlement to be assessed.

If my parents had been claiming off the state their entire lives id be entitled to everything under the sun but just because they set up their own business and paid huge amounts of taxes into the government im not entitled to anything. Its pure discrimination. This country just gets worse and worse.

It could be a lot worse. For instance, you could have done like many your age and a little older and left school early to work in the building trade; because you were so quick to enter the work force accept becoming a self employed tradesman rather than an employee; take out a 100% mortgage on a house in the outer suburbs; take out a massive car loan to buy an SUV - all on your €30-35k p.a., for you to suddenly find yourself out of work, unable to pay your mortgage, unable to pay your car loan and unable to claim social welfare.

Then you'd be in trouble. So not getting the dole and not having crippling debts is a lot better than not getting the dole and having crippling debts.

Also, the government are entitled to discriminate as to who gets what from central funds (unfortunately). Unless you are a minority or a political activist I don't think theres anything wrong with them discriminating on that basis.

fintonie

dont let the bastards grind you down ok,

prinz

johnnyskeleton wrote: »

It could be a lot worse. For instance, you could have done like many your age and a little older and left school early to work in the building trade; because you were so quick to enter the work force accept becoming a self employed tradesman rather than an employee; take out a 100% mortgage on a house in the outer suburbs; take out a massive car loan to buy an SUV - all on your €30-35k p.a., for you to suddenly find yourself out of work, unable to pay your mortgage, unable to pay your car loan and unable to claim social welfare...

Then you'd have dug a hole for yourself and nobody owes you anything.
Nobody forced people into any of those decisions.
Tough luck, they made their bed, lie in it. I know plenty in that boat and similar who have spent years taking the piss because I was a schmuck going to college, getting a steady job etc, while they were drinking, partying and holidaying away... couldn't give a toss if they all go to the wall.

jape

Hi,

I'm another with self-employed parents, luckily I have a job now tho but had an "experience" trying to claim the dole.

It makes no sense.

Parents pay the state thousands in income tax., I get nothing.

Social welfare scroungers claim thousands from the state, then THEIR children get thousands too.

Where is the logic??

fintonie

jape wrote: »

Hi,

I'm another with self-employed parents, luckily I have a job now tho but had an "experience" trying to claim the dole.

It makes no sense.

Parents pay the state thousands in income tax., I get nothing.

Social welfare scroungers claim thousands from the state, then THEIR children get thousands too.

Where is the logic??

well I read it and I could not find any.

deadhead13

jape wrote: »

Hi,

I'm another with self-employed parents, luckily I have a job now tho but had an "experience" trying to claim the dole.

It makes no sense.

Parents pay the state thousands in income tax., I get nothing.

Social welfare scroungers claim thousands from the state, then THEIR children get thousands too.

Where is the logic??

After the means test you got nothing?

deadhead13

deadhead13 wrote: »

After the means test you got nothing?

I was told that I would receive nothing from the guy in the SW office when I went in.

Have an interview for ikea coming up, thank ****!

Electric Sheep

samsemtex wrote: »

they arent and even if they were i dont necessarily disagree with it. If they were millionaires they would most likely be paying huge amounts of income tax to the government.

What if they parents are very tough and only believe in giving him/her shelter and nothing else? There are plenty of parents i know who dont give their kids a thing other than their living accommodation and make them pay for their share of ESB, gas etc regardless of their own income.

What if your parents did as many parent expect from their adult children and charged you rent?

Elmo

samsemtex wrote: »

Just read your little bullsh*t comment there. Where do i say i want to live off the state? So me wanting the state to pay me something while i look for a job, which i have been doing almost non-stop since i finished college, is wanting to live off the state?

And yes i would prefer live off the state for the short time that i intend to be doing it, rather than put even more pressure on the people i have been living off for the last 23 years. I have paid plenty of PRSI over the years i just never reached the threshold because i couldn't ever work full time.

I'm 23, why should my parents have to pay for me? If people who live outside the home get rent allowance AND Dole, why shouldnt i get some dole since i dont need the rent allowance?

I am sorry for the semi bull****/sarcastic comment I made, but looking at the title of this thread what did you expect.

Your 23 you have just finished college. I cann't assume what type of jobs you have been looking for in the last few months, perhaps a part time job to get you out of your parents house so that you can then get rent allowance/social welfare in a few months time, I am sure your parent would be happy to support you a little bit during those six months when you have no job/parttime work or no money. (Not that rent allowance or social welfare should be your mission, it should be to get a full time job in your area).

You are right your parents shouldn't support you for the rest of your life, nor should the state (bar Health, Education and certain Infrastructures) and at times when you need money such as now.

You are probable in a very good situation in comparision to many bums out on the street, your probable don't have a drink problem and you possible didn't grow up with parents with drink problems, "bums" as you call them come from getoisation and a cycle of life that during the boom years the government just feed rather than helped.

Also start applying for things your require such as a health card, you may never use it but just in case anything does happen.

prinz

Elmo wrote: »

You are probable in a very good situation in comparision to many bums out on the street, your probable don't have a drink problem and you possible didn't grow up with parents with drink problems, "bums" as you call them come from getoisation and a cycle of life that during the boom years the government just feed rather than helped.

It's that attitude that has the country where it is at the moment... what did the government do for me during the boom? Er nothing. Everyone is so quick to pass the buck here it's unreal. There's no excuse whatsoever in this couuntry to be resigned to a the life of a "bum" just because of where you come from etc. Stop blaming the government that nobody was 'helped' blah blah.

segaBOY

Riskymove wrote: »

1. theres a lot of protection for business owners if they go bust

Such as? Let's just say they are sole traders who went bust, what protection do they exactly have? Just curious

Riskymove wrote: »

2. they may not qualify for some welfare as they are self-employed but they would for other non-contributory schemes

And they are? Job seekers allowance I'm guessing, but if you're crippled from debt from a business that was unlimited (which a lot of small businesses are) and went bust it wouldn't cover anything.

Self-employed pay a higher rate of PAYE and also pay their PRSI (and most of their employee's share), the notion that someone who pays that amount of extra tax AND provides employment should be entitled to little or no social welfare when they go to the wall is nonsensical.

It's almost as if the state want to hinder anyone going out on a limb and setting up a business with the system they have in place (and lets be frank-businesses provide employment for everyone). With the hours you put in, the higher taxes and rates you pay, the current employment laws stacked against you and the lack of welfare you get if you go to the wall you'd wonder why sometimes...

Elmo

prinz wrote: »

It's that attitude that has the country where it is at the moment... what did the government do for me during the boom? Er nothing. Everyone is so quick to pass the buck here it's unreal. There's no excuse whatsoever in this couuntry to be resigned to a the life of a "bum" just because of where you come from etc. Stop blaming the government that nobody was 'helped' blah blah.

That isn't what I said. There was no excuse for people being on Social Welfare during the boom years. But your attitude it the reason why the Government did nothing to improve areas of depravation and allowed gethoistation to occur.

Many of the "bums" that we are talking about didn't have a good family life and their view of the world is completely opposite to how we view the world. And the fundamental problem was that the powers that be in the Government did nothing to try and get them out of this cycle that they got themselves into.

The life and views of someone in an area of deparavation (for want of a better word) allow them to think that there is always someone there to pick up after them and that they should act like their family and friends and their attitude of "well no one else on my street is working, why should I?" etc.

No government in recent time even thought about educating people into thinking differently, rather they increased social welfare for those in long term unemployment without thinking that perhaps this cycle of events in their and their family's lives should stop.

Now we are in a situation where people who have be working in Ireland for the past 10 years and paying Taxes and PRSI are being told that they have to take a cut in their social welfare payments when they are totally entitled to full social welfare for the few months (hopefully) when they are out of work. Those people including the OP are the types of people that will need that help to get them up and running.

The 3% (during the boom years) of the unemployed/unemployable need to be taken out of their cycle/ruts that they find themselves in, and those working and claiming social welfare need to be stopped but the reasons for both of these issues is that the powers/government (DES, DETE, DSF and DHC) did nothing to get these families out of their ruts/views of the world. It isn't just a case of handing out money, you actually have to work hard to make people understand that isn't how the world works.

So I amn't say ah poor them they never got any money, I am saying that society/government let them think the way they do and society/government did nothing to re-educate them in the way of the world. Why? Because it is harder to change someone view than it is to give them money.

Also I am excluding people with physical and mental issues that also need social welfare to help them in their lives.

Alun

samsemtex wrote: »

No they wouldnt be bums because my parents wouldnt even get welfare because they are self employed and being self employed in Ireland means you are left completely in the ****ter if things go wrong.

Nice rant, but I think you'll find that that's the case for self-employed people anywhere, not just Ireland (well, anywhere I've lived at least). That's one of the risks you take when you go self employed, and it's 100% up to you and no one else to make arrangements for when/if times are hard. If you don't pay the relevant PRSI contributions, you can't really expect the benefits.

segaBOY

Remindes me of an owner of a plant hire business on Prime Time

He was forced to let all of his staff go and work 80+ hours himself just to pay the bills. Since it wasn't a Limited company he himself was liable for all debts and had no safety net. Turns out there was court proceedings against him from his creditors because he couldn't pay, he summed it up nicely:

"Not having to get up at 6 in the morning and work until after nine at night, to have your breakfast and dinner provided for and paid for, to have Sky television to watch all day-prison sounds nice to me actually"

:pac:

irish_bob

segaBOY wrote: »

Remindes me of an owner of a plant hire business on Prime Time

He was forced to let all of his staff go and work 80+ hours himself just to pay the bills. Since it wasn't a Limited company he himself was liable for all debts and had no safety net. Turns out there was court proceedings against him from his creditors because he couldn't pay, he summed it up nicely:

"Not having to get up at 6 in the morning and work until after nine at night, to have your breakfast and dinner provided for and paid for, to have Sky television to watch all day-prison sounds nice to me actually"

:pac:

private sector workers from middle ireland like this man have no voice at table talks , lifers on the dole on the other hand have plenty to speak for them , such is the strength of irelands poverty industry , not a week passes but vincent browne has someone from the poverty industry on his tv 3 show and not a night passes without the dalkey barrister droning on about how unequal our society is

fintonie

irish_bob wrote: »

private sector workers from middle ireland like this man have no voice at table talks , lifers on the dole on the other hand have plenty to speak for them , such is the strength of irelands poverty industry , not a week passes but vincent browne has someone from the poverty industry on his tv 3 show and not a night passes without the dalkey barrister droning on about how unequal our society is

I agree with you,

only for him there are a lot of issues would get swept under the carpet,

more debate is needed.

segaBOY

irish_bob wrote: »

private sector workers from middle ireland like this man have no voice at table talks , lifers on the dole on the other hand have plenty to speak for them , such is the strength of irelands poverty industry , not a week passes but vincent browne has someone from the poverty industry on his tv 3 show and not a night passes without the dalkey barrister droning on about how unequal our society is

It's an industry in itself. All rent allowance payments go somewhere-I know a guy who lives on the payments he receives for housing refugees (lets not go there, not part of this thread just making a point his payments are from the Department of Family and Social Affairs) he has shown me the cheque he gets-they are quite handsome. He does a bit of horse training on the side-also tax free a la Irish Government policy.

Vested interest is everywhere-and even though masses are claiming over generous social welfare at our expense someone with friends in the Government is sure to be benifiting from it and certainly wants it to stay that way.

jedbartlet

segaBOY wrote: »

It's an industry in itself. All rent allowance payments go somewhere-I know a guy who lives on the payments he receives for housing refugees (lets not go there, not part of this thread just making a point his payments are from the Department of Family and Social Affairs) he has shown me the cheque he gets-they are quite handsome. .

.

Why can we not go there? thats the problem. I dont understand why we are pushing 12% unemployment with a non national populatin of the same ammount! I am not saying get rid of anyone, but if the SW payments were not as easy handed out to this section of the population maybe their would be a balancing off a bit? but what do i know!

Elmo

jedbartlet wrote: »

Why can we go there? thats the problem. I dont understand why we are pushing 12% unemployment with a non national populatin of the same ammount! I am not saying get rid of anyone, but if the SW payments were not as easy handed out to this section of the population maybe their would be a balancing off a bit? but what do i know!

Are you sure we have a "non-national" population of 12%, are you telling me that all of the all of the immigrants in Ireland are not from the EU? Of course you would want to get the correct usage of the term "non-national".

And again your suggesting that "non-nationals" get it easier than the Irish? Let look at that?

If 2 non-nationals have set up a business in Ireland and have a non-national 23 year old living with them do you not think that they would be in the same situation as the OP, of course they are in the same situtation.

Getting rid of the 12% immigrants (including Europeans, Americans, Austrailans, New Zealanders) would not help with our Unemployment rate since of the 12% non-nationals 12% are unemployed so you would be only getting rid of 1% of the population. Perhaps it would be best if everyone to left the country.

Sounds

If you had a job allready, then you were paying taxes right?
Wouldn't you be entitled to some benifits because of that?

You would nearly need your parents to build an extension
And have you live there under a different address before
you'd be entitled to your full social wealfare.

I think forigners do have it better when it comes to benifits in Ireland
It's a simular situation with housing, they all have houses and veachles
There's lots of irish people, single or not, on the housing lists for years!

It can be hard to move from a working life to an unemployed one
And things can be tuffer if you have to go out on your own because
there's no other way to get help unless you have your own address.
It will be even harder when you find yourself unemployed long term.

Maybe it's time to spend 4 years in college like so many students have
Only to find that there's no work when you have your degrees.

But not to sound too drastic,
Get yourself a cheap apartment, something livable, somethig you can make a home away from home.
Then you can claim unemployment benifits to survive, get a medical card, help with your rent and your fule allowance.
You're not a lowlife, you simply need to survive, that's why so many people come to Ireland, because of our kind government.

Elmo

Sounds wrote: »

I think forigners do have it better when it comes to benifits in Ireland
It's a simular situation with housing, they all have houses and veachles
There's lots of irish people, single or not, on the housing lists for years!

This again is such a generalism, the statistic on anyone "abusing the system" would suggests that 10%-15% of all groups will abuse the system which means that 10%-15% of Irish people abuse the system (for me I am being kind to the Irish to suggest that only 10% abuse the system).

The majority of non-Irish people were here working during the boom years many of them have paid PAYE and PRSI and are entitled to any benefits that any Irish person has who has work for the same length of time, I think that is only fair.

Also who is non-Irish I have a feeling that many here don't consider the British or Americans foreigners but consider French or Polish people foreigners :rolleyes: But then that is just another generalism.

Get yourself a cheap apartment, something livable, somethig you can make a home away from home.
Then you can claim unemployment benifits to survive, get a medical card, help with your rent and your fule allowance.
You're not a lowlife, you simply need to survive, that's why so many people come to Ireland, because of our kind government.

This would be the same for most people and it isn't drastic at all until such time as the OP can actually get a job and fend for themselves. Social Welfare shouldn't be used to live off rather it should be used until such time as you can get off your feet. As you can see from the increase in the dole queues many people are in the same situation.

meditraitor

samsemtex wrote: »

Then i would probably be entitled to a ridiculous amount of social welfare payments. But no, because my parents actually worked hard and set up their own business i get nothing now that i cant find work.

What the **** does my parents income have to do with me getting social welfare? Im 23 yet MY PARENTS have to be means tested in order for MY entitlement to be assessed.

If my parents had been claiming off the state their entire lives id be entitled to everything under the sun but just because they set up their own business and paid huge amounts of taxes into the government im not entitled to anything. Its pure discrimination. This country just gets worse and worse.

You are the responsibity of your parents,they brought you into this world. This state is not obliged to give you a hand out if your family are in a position to take care of you.......

If you want to live of the state, move out-cut the apron strings! then the state will babysit you

The state will only step in if your parents cannot afford to take care of you!

Grow up

nicola09

OP, I totally agree with you. My father is self-employed, works 12 hour days and I'm the oldest of 4, who all have to be put through college! So if god forbid we went bust (and this is a tangible reality as our business is construction), we would be in a very precarious situation! If, however, I was a teenage mother, I'd be entitled to a wealth of payments (if you pardon the pun!) Or if my father claimed social welfare instead of working for the last 30 years!

However, since I have decided to go to college and actually contribute to society when I'm qualified, my family and I will be crippled financially for the next four years! As a final kick in the teeth, I won't be entitled to the proper maintenance grant for college! It grinds my gears when people whinge and moan about the "poor" being treated unfairly at the unveiling of every new budget, while the government tightens the noose around the neck of every ordinary WORKING family.

Elmo

nicola09 wrote: »

OP, I totally agree with you. My father is self-employed, works 12 hour days and I'm the oldest of 4, who all have to be put through college! So if god forbid we went bust (and this is a tangible reality as our business is construction), we would be in a very precarious situation! If, however, I was a teenage mother, I'd be entitled to a wealth of payments (if you pardon the pun!) Or if my father claimed social welfare instead of working for the last 30 years!

However, since I have decided to go to college and actually contribute to society when I'm qualified, my family and I will be crippled financially for the next four years! As a final kick in the teeth, I won't be entitled to the proper maintenance grant for college! It grinds my gears when people whinge and moan about the "poor" being treated unfairly at the unveiling of every new budget, while the government tightens the noose around the neck of every ordinary WORKING family.

My father was in the very same situation a number of years ago. And even even put himself through college with a family during the 1980s. There a ****ing kick in the teeth. And I am not complaining.

Ye don't ****ing know what ye ****ing have, lets blame the foreigners, the single mothers and the drugies cause they don't have any of the responsibilities that we have.

BostonB

samsemtex wrote: »

Then i would probably be entitled to a ridiculous amount of social welfare payments. But no, because my parents actually worked hard and set up their own business i get nothing now that i cant find work.

What the **** does my parents income have to do with me getting social welfare? Im 23 yet MY PARENTS have to be means tested in order for MY entitlement to be assessed.

If my parents had been claiming off the state their entire lives id be entitled to everything under the sun but just because they set up their own business and paid huge amounts of taxes into the government im not entitled to anything. Its pure discrimination. This country just gets worse and worse.

Can't have it both ways. Entitled to something because of your parents or entitled to something because you are independent of your parents. Which is it?

Considering you've survived on something the the last 5yrs its most likely been on your parents income. Thats the assumption I'm guessing.

PITA unfortunately.

BostonB

nicola09 wrote: »

OP, I totally agree with you. My father is self-employed, works 12 hour days and I'm the oldest of 4, who all have to be put through college! So if god forbid we went bust (and this is a tangible reality as our business is construction), we would be in a very precarious situation! If, however, I was a teenage mother, I'd be entitled to a wealth of payments (if you pardon the pun!) Or if my father claimed social welfare instead of working for the last 30 years!...

You don't HAVE to be put through college.

Of course you'd have baby to cloth, feed and look after 24/7.

Explain how a person would be better off to been on the welfare for 30yrs rather than working.

jedbartlet

Im not sure if I should categorise the text below as examples or questions? But what I can do is state that I personally know of these situations existing as fact. I know the individuals personally and the circumstances surrounding each case. The others are questions that I as citizen of the state want an answer for?

So here goes! I would like to know, why it is a polish national (aged 25) who has worked in this country for only 13 months previous can be in the situation where the state can pay him so much that he ends up clearing over €590 per week for doing nothing at all! This figure is made up of his rent allowances, social welfare payments, and children’s allowance for his children who are living in Poland. This does not include the monies that his wife is claiming and the medical cards that the both have. Possibly the most frustrating part is that this man has been offered work again in the company he was working with while in Ireland and has refused to take it because and I quote “he makes more money from that state doing nothing, than he will working a 48 hour week in the job”. Also he will have too much paper work to fill in if he signs off for a few days. Am I the only one who thinks this is wrong?

I know of two non-national eastern European people (husband and wife) who take a monthly Ryanair flight from their homeland to Dublin, off the flight at 9am, sign on at the social welfare office in Santry by noon, visit some friends and get a 5pm flight back to their homeland again. In the meantime they both get a SW payments lodged to their accounts on a weekly basis courtesy of the Irish state! Maybe the disturbing part of this is that Ryanair seem to be running this flight as a response to demand! So would these people be alone on the flight doing this monthly sign on run?

Why is it we need to cut one billion from the health services in this country, yet the state will fund the asylum seeking camps such as the one in the former Mosney Holiday Center in County Meath? It would seem that the unfortunates who are being held there are have full board, Food, housing, living allowances along with extras to accommodate their ethnic needs being paid for by the state.

Having had occasion to visit a social welfare / health centre reliving officer recently, I observed the bizarre goings on of some of our non –national friends (assuming that they are not of Irish extract based on skin colour, African accent etc (I admit, a possible wrong assumption on my part!) The first thing to get me wondering was the queuing system that this group use for themselves. On arriving to the office, one is greeted with a table with 50 laminated cards all numbered 1 – 50. Simple system, take a card wait for your number to be called! I was number 6 as it happens so happy days, following me in the door was a non-national person of African origin who proceeded to take cards for numbers 7 – 34! Taking a seat in the same area as all the others waiting she then starts to make calls to various friends and associates advising them of a time to come down that she has a number card for them and they should allow 90 mins or so before they arrive to the office! I was stunned. They simply do not give a hoot about anyone.
This was bad enough I guess, but what I really could not believe was what happened next. I was asked to wait following my consultation and I seen a steady stream of card collectors coming and getting their number from the nice lady who had collect so many to assist her country folk. After a few had passed through her system, a number of ladies arrived at the same time with children. All aged below about 5 or 6 I would guess. I am still in shock over the arrangement that followed. From what I can gather these ladies were all down to apply for children’s allowance. Rather than just present with documents for their children and with child in tow they were dishing out kids and documents to beat the band. First lady would go in with her own two children and the two kids of a friend. Claim all kids were hers and get signed up with the children’s allowance! This happened on a number of times with several different kids and ladies claiming. Maybe one little black face looks the same as another to the officials working in the SW office. Four for the price of two it would seem. I had seen this with my own two eyes. They get away with this. Why?

There are dozens of other examples of the very strange anomalies that I just simply can get my head around! Why for example is a non-national person not expected to sit the same exam or meet the same requirements in order to get a PSV licence! Why is it any criminal past they my have cannot be fully checked out by the Carriage Office if the Garda do not have a relationship with that country of origin the applicant may be from? Rather than not issue the PSV Licence because the check cannot be carried out the licence will be issued without the check. Why?

Last year there was the tragic case of the 17 year old Nigerian asylum seeker that had been shot dead by thugs on the door step of the apartment where he lived in the plush Dunboyne Castle Estate. He had been wrongly accused of a crime he had not committed and subsequently a man and a woman have been rightly convicted of his tragic and barbaric murder. Looking past the tragedy of his wrongful death, I find my self asking the question why was a 17 year old youth and his family living in a four hundred thousand euro, three bedroom apartment in a luxury estate while on social welfare assistance. How can this be possible? Who is paying for it? Why?

I have no problem with anyone from any other country in the world coming here to start life over, I do however have a problem with them doing it a the expense of all Irish citizens who work here and have tried to build a better country for those who want to stay here long term. Not just coming to make a quick buck and Western Union it back to their homeland on a weekly basis. The economic situation has been shown that we need to tighten our belts; I suggest that we now also batten down the hatches and lock the front door to any further people coming to Ireland to sponge off the easy touch that is the Irish Social Welfare system.

We must also use this opportunity to look very closely at ourselves. As a people we are very quick to say that we will not do a particular job for various reasons. It’s beneath us, its only minimum wage, we are over qualified, and the list goes on. The fact is a job is a job and the sense of dignity a person gets for a fair days work for a fair days pay has been eroded in the Ireland of today.

Rant over for today!!!

Elmo

Yes indeed why should a polish person living here for the past 10 years paying the same rates of income tax etc get the same benefits as some Irish that have never done a days work?

Your talking crap.