Dole 'summer bonus' .. are they for real?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119185155#Comment_119185155

I don't think many people have any issue with people using the social welfare system in cases of disability or people who are actually actively seeking work.

That's what it's there for.

It's the career dole scroungers that people take issue with.

Sardonicat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119185155#Comment_119185155

Oh, didn't you read the thread?Disability and Carer's is a big fat scam, apparently. You're not really unable to work ad I'm not really taking care of a 90 year old. We just know how to work the system.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119185023#Comment_119185023

That's a monthly average of €832 for doing .....nothing!

If they can't find a job then one SHOULD be found for them!

How many people have come to this country & found employment

while our own have no motivation to find employment!

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119185174#Comment_119185174

Precisely 👍

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119185170#Comment_119185170

Have you read the Thread Title and indeed subsequent vitriol, whilst I agree most decent people separate Disability and Illness payment's and indeed genuine jobseekers, the problem is Threads like this and others before it , instantly attract a cohort that are utterly ill informed and just itching to bash the entire concept of SW supports regardless of a person circumstances.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119185203#Comment_119185203

I have read most of it. I do believe that most reasonable people on here (barring a few) have absolutely no issue with the idea of social welfare when not abused.

The idea of dole scroungers getting an extra weeks money is sickening to most right minded people. The idea of people who genuinely rely on social welfare for reasons beyond their control recieving an extra weeks money is good to most right minded people.

But some, on both sides, are just using it for cheap point scoring or for winding the other side up.

Gant21

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119185203#Comment_119185203

It’s crystal clear that you are rock and roll dole roller. Your last few posts have copper fastened it.

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119185227#Comment_119185227

Charming and clueless and the only thing that is crystal clear is your depressing views .

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119185219#Comment_119185219

Agreed 👍

Sardonicat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119185219#Comment_119185219

And yet this thread is not about people like myself receiving a good thing. Why not start a thread about how positive it would be to recognise the toyally unsupported work that Cares did during lockdown?(I don't want a bonus, BTW, I'd like improved support services instead, but it's actually cheaper for the govt to throw us each an extra fiver than it is to put adequate support in place and then get to tick a box showing that Carer's are being 'looked after')

Greyfox

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119185161#Comment_119185161

Well a small minority are choosing the dole over getting a minimum wage job and we should not incentivise this by raising the dole. Their should always be a very clear advantage for people who work and contribute to society.

Sardonicat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119185255#Comment_119185255

Then is it not the minimum wage that should be increased?

hynesie08

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119185255#Comment_119185255

So pay people on minimum wage more?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119185252#Comment_119185252

Because people rarely start posts about something they have no issue with.

Youre free to start a thread about it.

Gant21

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119185239#Comment_119185239

Get out the door you spoofer and take your boyeens with you.

cgcsb

The elite using the media to turn poor people against slightly poorer people is a timeless trick. Our elite, mostly small time landlords, have handed over our national housing policy to private interest, with public subsidy, and then they are allowed to go on national TV and whinge about the plight faced by landlords and how they pay "52%" tax, of course completely untrue but it doesn't have to be true because the finger can just be waged at people on the dole.

Yurt2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119185257#Comment_119185257

The ethos of some people is there there must be some people around to give a kick to. People on the dole are as good as any.

I recall being on the scratch for a window back in the recessionary times (about 4 months if I recall correctly). That was a structural recession and unemployment crisis generated by idiots at the top of society.

What stuck with me was the language and sentiment about the unemployed (dead weight, moaners, scroungers).at the time. Even in a structural economic crisis, right wing turds always reach for the same sh*te.

Haven't forgotten how demoralising it was and know a uneducated gammon space cadet by their language well now. They're usually only marginally more useful than the 'dole lifers' they decry themselves.

Have paid back my dues many times over in my career, and will never judge those who have to seek help. It's only the marginal and extreme cases of dole fraud that I really take issue with, and I don't see much evidence that it's widespread in society.

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119185255#Comment_119185255

I agree actually with your points but the Thread (Predictably) not been about increasing SW its been primarily been about bashing SW recipients .

Gant21

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119185314#Comment_119185314

You’re taking it too personal, can’t be helped I guess since you’re one.

anewme

Sorry for taking off topic, Surprised at the posts wanting to means test old age pension.

A 400k pension pot would probably generate 16k pa and the oap is 10500 so 26.5k net? Hardly luxury after a lifetime of work.

Would that not be just another blow to the middle classes who already pay enough over their lifetime to qualify.

That would not really incentivise people to pay into private pensions at all.

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119185320#Comment_119185320

If you can pull yourself together, get a grip and look at a detailed post about the person I am a few pages back after another slur,and come back to me .

Regardless if I was "One of Them " (you seem to think they are beneath contempt ) , and I actually not , this doesn't mean I can't call out people like you who don't take a second to think about people's situations or for that matter think before you Type 🙄

cgcsb

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119185298#Comment_119185298

I was also unemployed for 3 months in the last recession, grim times, and that was then our wise government decided if you were under 25 your social welfare needs would be half what an over 25 y/o was. I remember being in the dole office and you take a ticket with a number on it and your number comes up on a screen at one of the booths. My number was up next and the person before me just left so I stood up and approached the booth and the woman behind the screen said: "I haven't changed the number yet", so I turned around and sat back down and 2 seconds later she changed the number and I went back up to her.

She must have felt so useful and productive using her button pushing skills to keep me in my place. Same woman turns out is known to my parents, they say she's still working the counter at the dole office, and here I am at a very advanced stage of a lucrative career.

Leg End Reject

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119185346#Comment_119185346

There is a percentage of pensioners who have amassed wealth and have greater private pensions.

It makes sense to allocate more to those solely dependent on the state pension or with a modest private pension to supplement it.

It makes sense to give a larger payment to those on disability because they don't have the option to work.

It makes sense to give a larger payment to carers because they provide 24/7 care and lose their personal freedom. The cost of the state providing this care would be astronomical.

It makes sense to give newly unemployed people a significant percentage of their working wage because their outgoings are based on it.

All of these are rightfully using a social safety net. It's the generational welfare families that anger people.

malinheader

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119180841#Comment_119180841

These are the types of nutters who are destroying this country.

The lunatics have certainly taken over the asylum.

corks finest

V few and far between I suggest

who the hell wants to survive on e200 a week?

corks finest

How n my any have come to this country and went straight on welfare?

housing lists ?etc etc

Sardonicat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119185429#Comment_119185429

You do know that you have to prove residency for a specified amount of time in Ireland before you can claim welfare, don't you? Even if you're Irish, 8f you've been out if the country over a certain period you aren't entitled to a payment. I know you're enjoying whipping yourself into a froth if rage here, but you'll have to re-direct your attention away from "de foyrners" on this thread if you want to achieve your desired level of incandescent fury.

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119185429#Comment_119185429

Practically Zero , the refugee situation obviously a separate issue and more than enough threads dealing with that so not going to discuss it here.

Gant21

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119185349#Comment_119185349

You need to stop

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119185479#Comment_119185479

Head spinning is it, don't assume you know anything about fellow posters , think before you type .

Let's move on , you have your opinions , I have mine and I probably have more than slight understanding of Success and Real hardship than most. I don't depend on supports, I may in time require supports like many others , supports I've earned through a long career, but I'm not struggling like many, many others are, this doesn't mean I can't show a little compassion and understanding to those that are struggling and facing real hardship.

Good night

enricoh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119185142#Comment_119185142

All genuine, no doubt about it!

https://m.independent.ie/opinion/columnists/david-mcwilliams/mystery-of-massive-rise-in-those-quitting-workforce-on-disability-29170473.html

enricoh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119185291#Comment_119185291

Why are small landlords leaving the sector in their droves n there sod all houses to rent? Maybe they're all thick, eh?!

enricoh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119185442#Comment_119185442

Froth of rage, incandescent fury- hmm good debating points there! Over 50% on fingals housing list foreign born, god bless paddy taxpayer!

https://www.independent.ie/regionals/herald/news/over-half-on-housing-list-are-foreign-27973856.html

Galwayguy35

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119185298#Comment_119185298

Just did a quick google there and while I couln't see anything for the last few years back in 2017 welfare fraud amounted to €38.4 million, it was even higher in 2016 at €41 million.

Those figures would suggest it is widespread and this article was from the lib bible The Irish Times.

Jinglejangle69

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119185548#Comment_119185548

Highest in the EU!!!

We seem to be a very sick country.

enricoh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119185675#Comment_119185675

Think it's the fluoride in the water!

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119185633#Comment_119185633

A quick Google search will also that the SW budget for 2017 was €19.85 Billion, fraud by any stretch of the imagination is not wide spread and actually not primarily Jobseekers Related .The department over sees and manages a host of payments, not necessarily to do with unemployment and a fraud investigation can take years to detect, such a pension fraud. Whilst a separate issue there's also a lot of over payments made which are actually as a result of errors made by the department and not fraudulently claimed by recipients.

I'd doubt there's a Sociial welfare system in the world that doesn't have some level of fraud, it's not unique to Ireland.

Juran

So you ask who can live on 208 euros a week, right ? For a lot of people ( and not all may I add), the 208 is only pocket money. I know a good few on long term dole, aged 30 to 50, all fit and healthy. One is my cousin who has never worked and she's almost 40. Works seasonal jobs in B&B's for cash, always has a nice car, holidays abroad. House paid for by rent allowance. Most of the guys I know do odd jobs, gardening, fishing, painting, etc. Been on the dole since they were 18. If work dries up, say for the winter, they have the 208, rent allowance and medical card to fall back on. How is it that easy ? Then you hear of some poor fecker who loses his job and the welfare office breaks their balls when he applies for JSA, makes them go for interviews, puts them on training courses, etc. All I agree with. But why are the long term dole heads untouched in this country ?

Gant21

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119185633#Comment_119185633

Tip of the ice berg.

Sardonicat

Rent allowance does not exist anymore. If she is single, she would not be able to rent an entire house on her own because there is a ceiling to the amount of rent they will contribute to and this decreases the less people renting the property and would be unobtainable to a single person for anything other than a room in a shared house. Feel free to make up more stuff. Because, if it was real, you'd have reported her by now right?

anewme

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119185398#Comment_119185398

My point was in respect of means testing the OAP and specifically the contributory Old Age Pension.

There are people who have amassed wealth and have larger pensions.

They could well be PAYE workers and have made the correct number of qualifying inputs. But even saying if there are really wealthy people who are not short of 10 grand, the problem would be who would set the thresholds?

The Govt. are well aware that the really wealthy have the means to avail of the best tax avoidance programs and best investment advices. So like everything else, Tax Rates, VRT Rates, Inheritance Tax Rates etc, they cast the net wider as they need the masses to get to the multiples. So, I'd see the modest private pension threshold being set fairly low to capture as many of the "middle" type people as they can, a lot who would be on similar numbers that I've referenced above.

Personally, I believe means testing the OAP would disincentive people to fund private pensions. Certainly, the people in the lower middle level now (60-80k) would do a balancing act on it to make sure they qualify.

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119185806#Comment_119185806

Correct, Rent allowance ended quite a while ago there's a rent supplement with very strict conditions attached and is only a temporary payment, I believe.

Leg End Reject

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119185814#Comment_119185814

The €26,500 you referenced isn't wealthy by any metric, and remember, any government will ensure their own very generous pension is below the threshold.

There are a lot of pensioners eking out their final years juggling between eating and heating their homes with the state contributory/non-contributory pension as their only income. Not all will have savings to fall back on either.

Someone with generous savings and investments and a large private pension pot doesn't need to receive the full state pension, they don't need a medical card, fuel allowance, living alone allowance etc. It would be fairer to give those who need it a bigger slice of the pie.

anewme

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119185897#Comment_119185897

Fair point on their own pensions. Keeping their own bread buttered etc.

My Mam is on the State Pension only and lives alone so I know how difficult living on it is, even with the living alone etc.

I still think if it were means tested that people would reconsider paying in. They don't trust the Govt., some people dont trust pensions either and this expecting people to work to near 70 does not help. Its probably only a matter of time before the tax free lump sum is bumped off.

Juran

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119185806#Comment_119185806

I'm not making it up. She,s my cousin ffs, I know exactly the truth. And no, I wont report, her, the SW department shouldnt hand it out so easy. Its their job to get people off the dole, not mine. She lives out in the sticks and her rent (what ever it calls) pays for the country house. She is a single mom, but kid is grown up and lives away. No one from SW every chased her to move house.

Leg End Reject

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119185936#Comment_119185936

A bigger worry is pensions pots being raided again in the anticipated recession that's looming.

You mentioned your own mam, it's unfair that someone wealthy will receive the same state benefits, it will be pin money to them while others rely on it for the necessities.

I'm looking forward to eventually downing tools (and had hoped to be able to do it earlier than 65), but worried about being comfortable enough to enjoy it. I will have a private pension, but I suspect the state pension will be cut as we live longer. Mary Harney even said it was unfortunate people were living longer when she introduced the ironically named Fair Deal scheme.

Sardonicat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119185990#Comment_119185990

No rental payment covers the full rent. She hasn't been on JSA her entire life, as you previously stated, as she was on a lone parent's payment. Different payment, different rules re working. No one will chase her out if a house, they just won't cover the whole rent and will only contribute up to a certain amount, so if you can't afford it, you have to leave. You asked in your first post why no one touches the long term claimants. You seem to be aware of a few of them defrauding the state yet won't do anything about it.

y0ssar1an22

i think there should be a bonus every quarter.

cant think of any reason why anyone would be against that.

lmao10

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119186167#Comment_119186167

I agree. As a high tax payer I am more than happy for it to happen and I'm sure others would be. Inflation isn't easy.

Quitelife

It seems mad that someone who worked for 40 years only gets twenty Euro a week in their pension more than a person who never worked a day in their lives .

no point working minimum wage or in a job you don’t like really in this country .