Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Hi all! We have been experiencing an issue on site where threads have been missing the latest postings. The platform host Vanilla are working on this issue. A workaround that has been used by some is to navigate back from 1 to 10+ pages to re-sync the thread and this will then show the latest posts. Thanks, Mike.
Hi there,
There is an issue with role permissions that is being worked on at the moment.
If you are having trouble with access or permissions on regional forums please post here to get access: https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058365403/you-do-not-have-permission-for-that#latest

Community Welfare officer & work Expenses. .

  • 06-10-2010 8:01pm
    #1
    Drumpot
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,306 ✭✭✭✭


    Given some of the things I have read here and heard in the Health Services waiting rooms, I dont look forward to meeting our local one.

    Just have Three questions really . .

    1. When applying for means tested welfare's do they take expenses received directly for your job ? ie. I drive alot and get petrol allowance of €350 a month. I get a lump sum into my account and while my salary would qualify me for an allowance, if expenses were included, I would be outside the criteria.

    2. Is it illegal to record a conversation that you might have with one of these officers ? I dont mind being cross examined and asked to clarify or prove my application, but Im not going to sit there and take abuse , sarcasm or "a person having a bad day" without having some sort of defence mechanism.

    3. Do welfare officers see people after 1 ? The three times I have gone to Health Centres, the ticketing system has been a complete disaster and it says on the doors that they work 10.30-1 (once a week) and there is never enough time for all the people to be seen.

    Incidentally, I went down to one of the Health Centres this morning and went to the waiting room (Doctor and Community Welfare Officer waiting room). After a couple of failed attempts to see the officer, I went down earlier (around 9) to try and just get a ticket to see her. I stood beside the ticket machine and at 10.15 the welfare officer came out and suddenly a hoard of people ran towards her. She asked who was there first and people started shouting out "me", "I was here at 8 etc" and then started to flank me shouting for a ticket.

    Now, I dont mind queueing up for a ticket, but there was no queue. In essence I could of been there since 6am and my chances of getting a ticket were no more probable then if I went in at 10.15 when the tickets were being given out. Its just a disgrace and is a health and safety concern. All you need is two angry people to start a riot - "I was here before you" . . "no no, I was here before you". . Or what about an older person having to fight to get a ticket. This isnt even mentioning the appalling way it is to treat human beings in this day and age. I understand getting welfare is not supposed to be a nice experience, but this is just taking the piss . .

    I have already reported it to my local TD and local newspaper. Funnily enough, neither are really that surprised . . Considering the things I have heard by so many (few with good words to say about the running of the HSE or the way social welfare recipients are treated), I wasnt so much shocked, but appalled that they would go out of their way to make applying for welfare even more demeaning then it already is . .


Advertisement