Social Welfare mess up leads to homelessness

sickpuppy32

A few months ago I get a call from an old friend asking me to put up his nephew for a couple of weeks. He'd just got off the boat from Zimbabwe and had a job waiting for him over here. He's an irish citizen - born in ireland - irish parents had emigrated when he was very young and basically he was returning home to make a life for himself in light of the political/economic situation in his adopted country.
I was willing to put him up on my couch for the couple of weeks it took for him to get a place. So anyway he starts his job and he's told he has to get a PPS number. He goes off to the social welfare office in navan and thats where things start to go wrong. The social wlfare office "lost" his information not once but twice! 3 months to get his PPS number!
His boss had to let him go because he's not allowed employ someone who doesn't have a PPS and then employed someone else to do the job.
So back to the social welfare we go, only to be told to go to a different office, only to be told to see the community welfare officer in yet another office. The officer tells him that because he has not lived in the country for 2 years he is not entitled to a penny and basically to **** off back to Zimbabwe. Thing is, he's run out of money and cant afford the plane ticket even to do that! (nor has he any relatives who can afford to pay either).

He's currently living off my charity and i cant afford to keep doing that. To ad to his woe's (and my shame) i've to kick him out now, my ex doesn't want our daughter staying over with me while there is a "strange" man in my house.
My only option left is to drop him to the homeless shelter and maybe he could get some money from begging.
He's an 18 year old kid for F's sake! Is this how we treat our returned sons? irish citizens? We seem to look after lots of foreign nationals no problem and they deserve been treated fairly as well but can we not do the same for an irishman. I'm ashamed to be irish today.

Carlos_Ray

Contact your "old friend" and tell him to look after his own family. Why are you footing the bill??

munstergirl

Did he ever get his pps number? Maybe he could find another job.

You hear about this habitual resident every day, irish people move back from abroad entitled to nothing.

vanla sighs

Your friend can appeal his case http://www.welfare.ie/EN/Publications/SW108/Pages/7WhatifIamnothappywithadecision.aspx

From the site: "Habitual residence means you have a proven close link to Ireland" Well your friend could argue that he does, he is Irish after all, how much more of a link does someone need other than to prove that they are Irish ffs?!!! He HAS a proven close link to Ireland - he's Irish!

Does he have any fmaily here? That would be another proven close link, also perhaps they could help.

For Irish people not to be entitled to social welfare is outrageous. But I have heard of it happening to those who have returned after years living abroad. Anyone planing on emigrating should bear that in mind - if it doesn't work out for you abroad and you need to come home to Ireland you may not get a single cent from the State.

And what was the reason for introducing the Habitual Residency Condition, pure and simple to stop other EU nationals when it enlarged in 2004 from coming to Ireland and claiming social welfare. And because we can't discriminate aginst EU nationals and Irish nationals it affects Irish people too. Disgraceful. I thought EU enlargement was great at the time, how very very wrong I was.

Maybe, maybe if it came to it and they still refuse to give him anything he could go to the UK and claim social welfare there? Just an idea. I don't think they have a Habitual Residency Clause (someone can correct me if they do) and Irish citizens in the UK, as your friend is, are for all intents and purposes treated as British citizens (social welfare, hosuing, voting rights, employment etc) Now there's an option, possibly.

sickpuppy32

munstergirl wrote: »

Did he ever get his pps number? Maybe he could find another job.

You hear about this habitual resident every day, irish people move back from abroad entitled to nothing.

Yeah he eventually got it 3 months too late. He's looking hard for a new job but noone's hiring.

munstergirl

Most of the shops are hiring now for xmas, only part time.
Check out their websites.

Even if he does get the dole eventually as he's only 18 he'll only get €100 a week.

Making him homeless won't give him anymore €.

Has he other relations he can go stay with.

And the way Ireland is going there in only one way social welfare is going in next budget + that is down.

Balagan

See if the St. Vincent de Paul would help short term. They may also be able to arrange for funding (possibly through Dep of Foreign Affairs) to pay his ticket to Zimbabwe.

axel rose

I get the feeling that we are not getting the full picture here. The 'just got off the boat' bit has me rubbing my chin suspiciously.......

How did a young guy living in zimbabwe find a job 'waiting for him' in navan?

Did he really arrive in Ireland with the intention of starting this new job without any cash, address or pps?

Did the potential employer know that this kid was coming from zimbabwe?

Where was he going to stay if you weren't going to give your sofa to him?

Why is this 'old friend' not involving themselves in helping out his/her own family member?

Why is your ex dictating what you do in your own house?

Taking what you are saying at face value (and I'm not saying that I do), I'd be dropping him at his aunties/uncles house!

sickpuppy32

axel rose wrote: »

How did a young guy living in zimbabwe find a job 'waiting for him' in navan?

He got his job via a phone interview and an emailed cv and as with most jobs like these, he had a contact who already worked there, it was a waiter job and he has tons of experience.

axel rose wrote: »

Did he really arrive in Ireland with the intention of starting this new job without any cash, address or pps?

Admitedly he arrived in ireland unprepared, he had some money but that was spent when he was laid off.
He was told that because he was an irish citizen, getting a PPS wouldn't be a problem -it would take a week - you cant apply for one until you land so to speak.

axel rose wrote: »

Did the potential employer know that this kid was coming from zimbabwe?

- yes

axel rose wrote: »

Where was he going to stay if you weren't going to give your sofa to him?

axel rose wrote: »

Why is this 'old friend' not involving themselves in helping out his/her own family member?

I know his unlce from years back when I worked for a charity in zimbabwe.

axel rose wrote: »

Why is your ex dictating what you do in your own house?

I'm a single father who wants to see his kid so yes she has a say.

axel rose wrote: »

Taking what you are saying at face value (and I'm not saying that I do), I'd be dropping him at his aunties/uncles house!

His one unlce lives in zimbabwe and his parents are dead. He decided to come back home because of the political/economic situation in zimbabwe. He's your typical 18 year old irish kid who maybe should have prepared more, he realises that now.
I just dont think he should be screwed by the same system that caused the mess up in the first place.