Widows pension has nothing to do with unemployment, it's designed to replace the lost income when a spouce dies.

She worked, and her husband worked, they paid PRSI just like you did (at least 156 times in order to qualify for the benefit in the first place), and your not the only one who pays taxes.

If your company ups and heads for Poland other peoples taxes will pay for you too.

We all "know someone" like that EP, I know one guy who constantly rotates between fas courses and the social welfare, and has it all drank by Monday, never even attempting to look for a job, they're a minority.
All these "I know a guy" cases are arguments for changing the rules not cutting the benefits, we can't screw the guy whos unemployed in Limerick because Dell left because theres some owl one down your road whos been on the widows pension for a long time.

The hospitals are filthy because they switched to sub standard cleaners, and because the time pressure docs are under means poor hygiene habits, not because of a financial shortage, and the child allowance already funds the hospitals, since huge chunks of it come back to the state in the form of VAT and corporation tax revenue.

(Incidentally, ask the people who ************************* about social welfare to pay higher taxes to solve the real problems in the healthcare system, or to plug the hole in the public finances and they'll go nuts)

Beer mat solutions aren't gonna get us out of the mess were in.

I don't agree with means testing but incidentally when the idea was floated to means test children's allowance the outcry came mostly from middle class women.

ireland is awash with money; the problem is that its tied up in the hands of corporations and the upper and middle class.

reistributing wealth is more than a worthy goal in itself; most of these wealthy institutions/people are parasitic and inflict large opportunity costs the on society that sustains them.

Leave my Dole alone, 200 isnt near enough it should be increased never mind being cut.

The problem is that some of the social welfare goes to the wealthy (child benefit) and also the raises were given out in the boom - they should only have been temporary bonuses

In either case Justice per se is moot - with increased numbers coming onto the dole, decreased tax revenues - the country doesn't have the money.

cYp

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"Yawn , am I alive yet ?"

Well perhaps not that bad - but I suggest you spend a day down at the Blanch Labour Exchange (or is it Jobseekers Centre these days?) --

for a fact there are people drawn from far and wide in this World motor down and in they go to get what their getting...

Go Figure

Couple up the road from me here - neither have a job. Get a taxi home with the weekly shopping (we are on a bus route BTW!)

Go Figure

Couple I know - neither have a job - they went on Holidays last year -

Dingle? - Nope!

Achill Island perhaps? - Nope!

OK Egypt then? - Yep!

Go Figure.

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COUNTRY FIRST

and they paid it right back in higher income taxes, thats how universal systems work.

How do you know they don't have savings?

The rate is €200 a week, those people are not getting some kind of super secret higher rate.

Full week is 39 hours and more at times, at least in the private sector.
JA is means tested, 30k family income would preclude JA, if not i am owed a bit of money.
Why the concentration on single parents with young children, they have a productive job for 12 years at least, being a full time parent.

I believe that cuts in social welfare is necessary and should be targetted at certain groups.

1. This is going to get me into trouble but Pensioners should be targetted first. People have an historical view of pensioners struggling to make ends meat. Things have changed, what was true in the past is no longer true today. Pensioners are no longer the vulnerable (perhaps for health concerns but not financially), they get very generous incomes(pensions), sit on assets and have little expenditure(No Mortgage, ESB allowance, TV licence fee waived, Free Transport, Free medical cards). The vulnerable of today are children in poverty, those losing their jobs, those on low incomes who have families and large outgoings(rent, children's clothes etc). But not to paint myself in even worst light, I dont believe carers allowance should be cut or unemployment allowance cut (in fact I would like to see an unemployment payment system that is related to income similiar to the system employed in Spain) Pensions should be taxed at source at 5%.

2. Child Allowance should be the next social welfare target. It should be taxed as part of income and thus removes advantaging the wealthy over poorer families.

3. Child Allowance bonuses:
This should be cut completely. It was financed from boom taxes and we cannot afford it.

Why isn't the dole time-limited as in other countries? Even in a recession, 90% of people will find some sort of work within a matter of a couple of months, if not weeks. The dole should not be a lifestyle choice, but a hand up to assist people between jobs.
Even my crazy lefty Marxist Mrs agrees with that!

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my point is that the country (tho not necessarily the government) does have the money.

and that we shoul change that situation...