If you could cut one welfare payment, what would it be ?

minidazzler

mrsbouquet wrote: »

Child benefit, but not for everyone. I think if your children are living outside of Ireland you should not be able to claim for them. For the rest I think it should be means tested and any couple earning more than 120,000 between them should not be in receipt of child benefit.:o

Mine would be similar, except you don't go quite far enough.

Child Benefit for people earning less than 60000 between the two parents, they don't get any child benefit for any kid after the second one.

Cut all TD phone allowances. 3 have a service where if you buy 10 phones you pay 35 a month per phone with all Text, Call and Data. Issue any government employee entitled to a phone with one of these and let them do as they please.

I'd slaughter a bunch of other allowances that TD's get too that ordinary people have to pay for for work. Allow them claim tax credits on some things they have allowances for currently. They don't get cars or drivers. Have the Govt build an accomodation block somewhere close to Dublin City so that they don't get to claim for 2 houses.

I'm pretty sure I could go through the allowance book for TD's and cut around 50 million easily.

I'd cut disability allowance for those under 18.

People who are on Temporary Release from Prison, wouldn't be able to laim the dole until their sentence is over.

Balmed Out

Father Damo wrote: »

Payments to any member of the travelling community who claimed dole for a one year period between the late 90s to 2008, when we had full employment.

Near on 90% of them according to the figures. Hardly see it as inhumane- they can just move to Britain and let the taxpayer there pay their way, seeing as the Dale Farm episode has shown we can count on the British being too gutless and in fear of the PC left to do anything about it.

What about those of the settled community who did the same? When I finished college the dot com bubble burst and pleny of IT graduates signed on rather then work in a pub or mcdonalds. Dont get me started on those who were signed on for the entire period without any disability.

I have far more sympathy with members of the travelling community being unemployed since the attitudes towards them mean very few people are willing to hire them.


Id dock people benefits who think its fair enough for the state to pay for sky tv or the like.

Id give all parents a credit card valid for x amount each month and only valid for items relating to a childs welfare rather then the present child allowance scheme.

Nodin

minidazzler wrote: »

................

People who are on Temporary Release from Prison, wouldn't be able to laim the dole until their sentence is over.

Amazingly well thought out and not in any way whatsoever counter productive.

Balmed Out

minidazzler wrote: »

Cut all TD phone allowances. 3 have a service where if you buy 10 phones you pay 35 a month per phone with all Text, Call and Data. Issue any government employee entitled to a phone with one of these and let them do as they please.

Have the Govt build an accomodation block somewhere close to Dublin City so that they don't get to claim for 2 houses.
.

2 good points but just take over a nama hotel. One of the poorer ones.

One other thing. The criminal justice system.

Why oh why do career criminals in and out of jail still get legal assistance paid for the state.After 2 cases your not likely to be an unfortunate victim. 3 strikes and you pay your own way

barryd09

It'd be much better to tackle the social welfare system and tighten and close the loopholes in it that are allowing people to claim for things they should and are not entitled to. You cant blame people for claiming left right and centre,the system shouldnt allow this in the first place. Thing is we'd probably spend ten times more on closing the holes than would actually be saved.

Come on joan burton,step up, its your area.

Fear Uladh

Government expenses should be cut altogether. They are earning enough without getting supplements as well.

Tazz T

Government welfare should be cut by at least 75% since they just waste it and annoy us.

I think they euphemistically call it tax.

stovelid

Just apply a moron tax.

If this thread is a representative sample of the population, we'll have a budget surplus by the end of the year.

Stiffler2

disability welfare

Tipsy McSwagger

stovelid wrote: »

Just apply a moron tax.

If this thread is a representative sample of the population, we'll have a budget surplus by the end of the year.

The OP could pay the countries debt all on his own then.

minidazzler

Stiffler2 wrote: »

disability welfare

As much as this is an attempt at trolling, I agree in one way, 16 and 17 year olds shouldn't be getting disability allowance.

c_man

Before cutting any welfare, I'd eliminate all the grants money/tax concessions given to the arts world.

Some f*cker getting e70,000 for an Irish language book that only sells 7 copies? The f*ck?

Jesus Shaves

stovelid wrote: »

Just apply a moron tax.

If this thread is a representative sample of the population, we'll have a budget surplus by the end of the year.

I dunno, i reckon a grumpy bástard tax would earn a lot more income for the government

Knine

minidazzler wrote: »

As much as this is an attempt at trolling, I agree in one way, 16 and 17 year olds shouldn't be getting disability allowance.

Have you any idea of the costs that a person faces that has a disability or special needs?

Have you any experience of looking after a person with an intellectual and/or a physical disabilty?

appointments costs, Ocupational therapy, Physio?
Transport costs - it costs a lot of money driving to above appointments
Private appointments as poor health often goes with special needs
Special needs clothing
Adaptions to car
Adaptions to house etc
Special diets

Not everybody that gets disability is on it for a sore back.......

Ah sure take money off the most vunerable in society......

minidazzler

Knine wrote: »

minidazzler wrote: »

As much as this is an attempt at trolling, I agree in one way, 16 and 17 year olds shouldn't be getting disability allowance.

Have you any idea of the costs that a person faces that has a disability or special needs?

Have you any experience of looking after a person with an intellectual and/or a physical disabilty?

appointments costs, Ocupational therapy, Physio?
Transport costs - it costs a lot of money driving to above appointments
Private appointments as poor health often goes with special needs
Special needs clothing
Adaptions to car
Adaptions to house etc
Special diets

Not everybody that gets disability is on it for a sore back.......

Ah sure take money off the most vunerable in society......

Yes, I do, I'm a carer for my little sister who has cerebral palsy, she is 17 and gets disability, she shouldn't be.

Most of the stuff listed is paid for by the state for most people, I said 16 and 17 year lds shouldn't get it, and I stand by that. Explain to me why they should get it?

I know the exact costs. And for a disabled person this stuff isn't even means tested. You get a fair bit from the government for stuff. Which is fair enough, my only argument is that 16/17 year olds get disability allowance even if they are still in school.

token101

Free travel allowance to all pensioners is a joke. FEA/FGA to all pensioners is a f***ing disgrace. If you need them, have it means tested. If you're pulling in a total of over 20K a year as a pensioner you can f**k off. Pay for your own trips to f***ing Knock.

Knine

Adaptions to my car? I paid for them.

Adaptions to my house- I paid for them.

Special needs clothing? Can you tell me where I can get them paid for?

Transport costs? I pay for my fuel for 4-5 appointments a week, tell me how you manage to get the state to pay?

Private health care? if I was waiting on the HSE my child would be waiting a long time in fact I paid for overseas appointments myself.

I don't know about you but I had a career before I became a full time carer so now I rely on a paltry sum of money while I save the state a fortune. If I put my child into foster care so I could go out and work then look up foster care rates!

minidazzler

Knine wrote: »

Adaptions to my car? I paid for them.

Adaptions to my house- I paid for them.

Special needs clothing? Can you tell me where I can get them paid for?

Transport costs? I pay for my fuel for 4-5 appointments a week, tell me how you manage to get the state to pay?

Private health care? if I was waiting on the HSE my child would be waiting a long time in fact I paid for overseas appointments myself.

I don't know about you but I had a career before I became a full time carer so now I rely on a paltry sum of money while I save the state a fortune. If I put my child into foster care so I could go out and work then look up foster care rates!

Have you ever thought about talking to citizens information? And if it's not rude can I ask what disability your child has because you should be entitled to vrt off your car, and depending on means you should be ale to claim back petrol costs. House adaptions take years to come through but they do come through as we are currently having an extension built for my sister which took 10 years. We don't really use special clothing.

Go to citizens information see what entitlements you have,

Knine

Ive done all that. You get the vrt/vat off the car but you still have to come up with the money to buy a new car and I think they brought in a rule this year where you can't claim off a second hard car. The fuel costs really add up even with getting the vat back.

We use special clothing and it is very pricey. You can't really compare your situation to others as I know a lot of people in the same boat as me. 16/17 year olds don't cost any less to look after then other people with a disablity.

Also what annoys me if you compare what a Carer gets off the state to what a foster carer is given yet most Carers don't have a choice to take on the role of carer.

A foster parent gets from 319 to 339 per week which is not means tested.

Abi

minidazzler wrote: »

As much as this is an attempt at trolling, I agree in one way, 16 and 17 year olds shouldn't be getting disability allowance.

Depending on what the illness / disability is, it could be quite costly for the recipient. Once fully investigated / means tested, I can't see why not.

dave1982

Eric Cartman wrote: »

So were always moaning about welfare and people on the dole in AH, so If you could cut just one payment out of the system alltogether, which one would it be ?

job seekers allowance, college grants, rent allowance etc ?

(Id probably cut them all, but thats how i roll)

get over it and continue to pay your taxes, i'll happily spend my dole money now.

The fact you probably at work now (where you have time to moan on the internet) makes me happy


Keep up the good work.

smash

minidazzler wrote: »

Child Benefit for people earning less than 60000 between the two parents, they don't get any child benefit for any kid after the second one.

60k doesn't go very far these days after tax though. And with 2 kids in full time childcare it's aprox 24k a year gone already.

NinjaK

this forum is pathetic

Abi

NinjaK wrote: »

this forum is pathetic

The forum is perfectly fine, it's some of the posters that use it..

STAR2011

smash wrote: »

60k doesn't go very far these days after tax though. And with 2 kids in full time childcare it's aprox 24k a year gone already.

I agree with that but I do think that paying child benefit to a couple with substanstial earnings between them is insane - not sure what the cap should be but I don't think those earning in excess of €100,000.00 pa gross should be in receipt of any state payment! I also don't think it would be as hard to implement as the powers that be claim - send out forms, fill in your Gross earnings, if you earn less payment continues and if you earn more, payment stops! And ALL child benefit payments to non residents should be stopped immediatly!

I don't agree with the social welfare bashing that happens on here sometimes, I was out of work for five months last year and surviving on welfare was not the most difficult aspect - the social isolation was. There is nothing more isolating than having no money. I live away from my parents and siblings - couldn't afford petrol to go and visit them, friends stop inviting you places because they know you are on welfare and don't want to embarrass you, I would not talk to anyone for days at a time (except the children) sometimes!

Any cut in welfare needs to really carefully looked at which our governement cannot be trusted to do - all knee jerk reaction stuff, people up in arms, lets reverse that decision!!!!!!

44leto

ejmaztec wrote: »

Butler's allowance.

See this is what happens with these debates, you get the right wing extremists, do you really think people of my calibre should cook and wash my own clothes,, really it beggars belief..

stovelid

Abi wrote: »

The forum is perfectly fine, it's some of the posters that use it..

I wonder how many of them are living with their parents, students or in their first job with no responsibilities. Or dossers with nailed down public sector jobs.

gcgirl

My local dole office is littered with family members working there should be strict restrictions to nepotism in the public sector

token101

stovelid wrote: »

I wonder how many of them are living with their parents, students or in their first job with no responsibilities. Or dossers with nailed down public sector jobs.

Or people who work and spend prudently and live within their means.

token101

gcgirl wrote: »

My local dole office is littered with family members working there should be strict restrictions to nepotism in the public sector

How would you stamp it out? Say children of workers cant get a job with the service/company? Maybe they're the most qualified? Why would you hire strangers when you know exactly what you're getting with someone you know? Makes sense really.

stovelid

token101 wrote: »

Or people who work and spend prudently and live within their means.

Because that confers a magic immunity against unemployment?

I'm very proud of you though. We all are.

ReanneD

I would abolish one parent family payment for sure and just replace it with jobseekers. Why should any single parent be provided with money just to stay at home and mind their children and have no pressure on them to find work when they should be out looking for a job like every one else has to. IMO its just going to happen anyway now when their kids turn 7 so why should it not be enforced earlier in a childs life.

Abi

stovelid wrote: »

Because that confers a magic immunity against unemployment?

Behind the screen bravery. I'm sure theres still pyjamas being worn since their trip to the dole office this morning.



Assumptions about people are great, aren't they Token

gcgirl

token101 wrote: »

gcgirl wrote: »

My local dole office is littered with family members working there should be strict restrictions to nepotism in the public sector

How would you stamp it out? Say children of workers cant get a job with the service/company? Maybe they're the most qualified? Why would you hire strangers when you know exactly what you're getting with someone you know? Makes sense really.

Because I know more qualified people who I personally think would do a better job
I disagree with nepotism
Every person should be judged on their merits not their parents

gcgirl

Token why do you think this country is screwed as it already is
NEPOTISM

Abi

ReanneD wrote: »

I would abolish one parent family payment for sure and just replace it with jobseekers. Why should any single parent be provided with money just to stay at home and mind their children and have no pressure on them to find work when they should be out looking for a job like every one else has to. IMO its just going to happen anyway now when their kids turn 7 so why should it not be enforced earlier in a childs life.

^^ A spill over from the OPF protest thread I see.


Wouldn't you think that the parents level of training / employment should come into play here? Please, by all means, do go out and do some research on the cost of childcare, mortgage / rent, electricity, heat, tv licenses, annual bin charges and bin tags, school fees, books, uniforms, travel expenditure such as tax, insurance, NCT, petrol, general maintenance of the car, perhaps car payments if not paid in full, clothes, haircuts, and most importantly food to put on the table.

Now I could go on, but if you can tell me how someone can pay approximately 500 euro per child per month or more, and thats only part time, with the pittance that jobs are giving out these days, I will hear you out with open ears.

Has the thought ever occurred to you that perhaps people on OPF worked all their lives but are now trapped in unemployment, purely because - and bare with me on this one, they cant AFFORD to work?

Now lets pretend the post I quoted never happened. Because if you'd have said why not offer low cost childcare places to those on OPF before you try to turf them off the only life-line the have, I'd have had more respect for you.

Educate yourself first, then post.

token101

stovelid wrote: »

Because that confers a magic immunity against unemployment?

I'm very proud of you though. We all are.

Nope.Been there done that. Just saying that people who spend their money wisely usually survive grand on benefits. That's all. 'Behind the screen bravery'? Why what would you do if I told you the same to your face? People are only allowed to have your opinion is it? You might be in the wrong place then

stovelid

token101 wrote: »

Nope.Been there done that. Just saying that people who spend their money wisely usually survive grand on benefits. That's all.

I only skimmed the thread - as a sanity-preserving measure - since the sewer effluence of the first few pages but I assumed the thread is about abolishing benefits.

Abi

token101 wrote: »

Nope.Been there done that. Just saying that people who spend their money wisely usually survive grand on benefits. That's all. 'Behind the screen bravery'? Why what would you do if I told you the same to your face? People are only allowed to have your opinion is it? You might be in the wrong place then

Stovelid didnt say that, I did.


If we were all of the same stinking attitude as yours, this wouldnt be a discussion board.


It must be nice to sit on that high horse and judge people on welfare payments. Talk about kicking a dog when it's down. Your ignorant attitude is that everyone on a SW payment has been on it for years, when in reality, the fact of it being on one is cutting most of the population up.

What a horrible disgusting, pig ignorant attitude. I'd say if you offered some of your opinionated time to the helplines since the down turn of this country, and I can say with certainty, that your rotten attitude would change quick fast.

ReanneD

Mnay people work and receive part payment of OPFP so it is possible to work and be a lone parent. Not once is a lone parent encouraged to either further their education or take up employment yet a family on jobseekers are expected to be doing so without any subsidised childcare. Also before you assume any further, I am currently a lone parent and know exactly what cost it entails to work and obtain childcare.

Abi

ReanneD wrote: »

Mnay people work and receive part payment of OPFP so it is possible to work and be a lone parent.

Yeah, with all that part-time work offers sitting on their laps.

Not once is a lone parent encouraged to either further their education or take up employment

It's not that its not encouraged, it's that there is a little more leniency allowed, given that there are too many factors and added expenditure to take into account where there are children involved.

yet a family on jobseekers are expected to be doing so without any subsidised childcare.

In a family situation on a jobseekers payment, there can only be one claimant for the house. It is expected that at least one of them attempt to find employment, and they'd automatically get a reduced payment. If the other cannot find employment paying enough so they can independently pay for their own childcare, then one will have to stay home.

Also before you assume any further, I am currently a lone parent and know exactly what cost it entails to work and obtain childcare.

And you've just assumed a lot about me, because you think that I don't

Tonyandthewhale

Not really an allowance but I'd reduce the minimum wage a euro or two, it's one of the highest in Europe and we're one of the most in depthed and unemployed economies in Europe, it doesn't add up. I'm saying this as someone who has never made more than minimum wage before anyone goes accusing me of having a 'let them eat cake attitude.'

I'd also like to re-assess the maintenance grant, not necessarily reduce the amount but drastically reduce the number of people who get it and make sure that the people who do need of it can avail of it. Too many people using it as drinking money while there are other people out there who have to take out loans to cover the basic living expenses associated with going to college.

Child benefit for those who don't need it is also a joke, millionaires like michael O'Leary don't need help from the state paying for their kids.

Finally, all TD's should have their salary reduced 50%, Ming manages fine on that amount, why can't the rest of them?

Chinasea

Reoccurring Immaculate Conception benefits i.e. single parent allowances who continue to have children but claim to be alone?

Abi

Tonyandthewhale wrote: »

Not really an allowance but I'd reduce the minimum wage a euro or two, it's one of the highest in Europe

The cost of living hasn't lowered enough to make that work.

I'd also like to re-assess the maintenance grant, not necessarily reduce the amount but drastically reduce the number of people who get it and make sure that the people who do need of it can avail of it. Too many people using it as drinking money while there are other people out there who have to take out loans to cover the basic living expenses associated with going to college.

If that's how you feel then why not send out much smaller payments at a time? It certainly doesn't cover costs, travel expenses etc.

Child benefit for those who don't need it is also a joke, millionaires like michael O'Leary don't need help from the state paying for their kids.

This I agree with.

Finally, all TD's should have their salary reduced 50%, Ming manages fine on that amount, why can't the rest of them?

And this.

gcgirl

Chinasea wrote: »

Reoccurring Immaculate Conception benefits i.e. single parent allowances who continue to have children but claim to be alone?

Those you speak off are couples that are defrauding the state and they certainly don't parental alone and genuine claimants should not be put in this box

ReanneD

Abi wrote: »

^^ A spill over from the OPF protest thread I see.


Educate yourself first, then post.

Not once in my posts have I made any assumption about your personal, educational or financial situation or your understanding of this situation yet you feel you can tell me what opinion I have of your personal understanding of the situation involved.

Abi

gcgirl wrote: »

They are frauds and they certainly don't parent alone

The tarring brush is out again, eh gc? :pac:

gcgirl

Abi wrote: »

gcgirl wrote: »

They are frauds and they certainly don't parent alone

The tarring brush is out again, eh gc? :pac:

Sorry it came out wrong and I edited it
I thankfully am not a judgemental bit*h

fedor.2.

I thought there might be something new in this thread..................there isnt

Abi

ReanneD wrote: »

Not once in my posts have I made any assumption about your personal, educational or financial situation or your understanding of this situation yet you feel you can tell me what opinion I have of your personal understanding of the situation involved.

Not to me personally, because this is the first time that you've replied to me. I commented on your generalized post about anyone on benefits. Why are you trying to make it sound like I just started on you? Have you no reply to what I said other than to take it personally? If you believe in what you've written, then challenge what I've said.