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

That's Governor Pilate to you...

No matter what fooks up are made in state services in Ireland, no matter who is screwing the system and the taxpayers, no matter how many career welfarists and how many want forever homes at others expense, no matter how many people are screwed over by our lax justice system, there are always ones to come out to condone and excuse it.

No wonder this country is so fooked up when we have a shower of shytes that welcomes the ordinary decent law abiding and especially contributing members of society getting screwed over.

Consider this senario :

Mark is 24, works as a barman, lives at home with his parents, his weekly take home wage is say €450 His longterm girlfriend Jane is 23 works as a shop assistant, lives at home, weekly take home wage of €400

Jane becomes pregnant, when the baby is born she becomes a fulltime mother, has to move out & find a place of her own to live which will be paid for by SW Mark would like to get married and for them to be a complete family under one roof, but if they marry Jane will loose the rent allowance, medical card, fuel allowance and all other related benefits. So it's not financially practicle for Mark to get married with an income of €450 - he can only dream of buying his own house, even saving enough for a deposit is mission impossible. But if Mark was unemployed he could afford to get married, the total actual weekly income to his household would increase, SW would pay his rent, he and his family would qualify for all the numerous fringe benefits that come with being on welfare and not have to get up early in the morning (to quote Varadker!) or work late unscoial hours in the pub. In the fulness of time his first born daughter has a child at 19, moves out and the whole saga continues......and yet another generation becomes a burden on an almost bankrupt state..............in the meantime we ''import'' workers to do the work of the Mark & Jane's of this country in pubs, shops, hotels etc. There is something seriously rotten with the whole system that rewards unemployment instead of employment - it seriously needs a root & branch transformation.

Ridiculous comment.

Im not against raising welfare rates but what is the knock on effect?

Taxes go up on people working or services are cut, or we borrow?

Yurt there are people manipulating the system. No one should be allowed gain from the state on an ongoing basis unless they are sick or unable to work.. Our welfare is actively competing with work with the levels been thrown at some people. I will give you my experience, 2 nieces both sisters. One the older girl 29 now been in and out of a few relationships, went to college paid her way all the time and currently paying 1000 euro for a room (a little bigger than a single room) in a house there in Rathmines but its close to everything for her as she cant afford to upgrade her car while saving for a house. She never asks for help and pays her way in a good job earning about 100k a year. She has told me unless she meets the right fella earning similar she wont have a house for at least another decade. She goes out maybe once/twice a month for a few beers due to affordability and tries to get away once a year and can only afford once a year. Her younger sibling 26 a completely different take on life , 4 different kids from 3 dads, been in a house in Lucan paid for by the state for the last 3 years, its a 3 bed if you were to pay rent on it your talking easily 2.5k a month, she has already been on to the powers that be to say that her new baby means she needs a bigger gaff and apparently she will be getting this by the end of the summer. she doesn't work gets all the state cash, has her latest baby daddy living with her and he works and she also gets maintenance under the table from both the other 2 dads. She has the best of gear, new car every 2/3 years and 3/4 holidays a year.

Now you tell me if your a young girl that is a bit lazy and does not like to work and looking at the above why would you bother doing anything other than opening your legs?

There are more jobs out there than people on the LTU if they are fit and of able bodied and able to do the job why should they get paid social welfare even if the number is one person?

Regardless of charm or not this is whats happening. We have more jobs not being filled than able bodied people on the dole tong term surely they should be told to train, educate and take one of these jobs instead of us having to pay for them ye know let them pay their own way. One able bodied person on the dole long term and not taking up work is one person too many

God will you give over ye clown. This is a valid choice for a young girl due to our welfare rates which include a house to live in and you only have to look at the nightmare and issues people are having now to try and get a house of their own. So if you want to be a snowflake and you get offended by the truth you go be one and sorry for impugning your delicate constitution

What are you on about, the girl brags about how she gets all and sundry paid for by the state and she is frequently over in her grandmother's house (my mam) with her kids so I would see her quite a lot. I dont know why your getting bent out of shape for someone telling you how it is out there. As you say the amount of people on the long term unemployed would only half fill Croke Park. Even one is too much. If there is work there for someone they should be asked to train/educate in order to fill one of these roles.