We need to cut social welfare

[smitchy2]

Current spending on social welfare is €10.1bn.

Child benefit has to be means tested. It is insane that every single child in the country gets a payment no matter what the family circumstances are.
It currently costs €2.5bn so surely this could be cut to €2bn by cutting off benefit for those households earning above a certain level eg: €60k households.

Reducing the dole by 10% would save about €300m.
This would be a harsh measure particularly for people who have only recently become unemployed and I do know people who this has happened to.

One parent family payment benefits are €1.1bn.
Again this is a delicate matter but this will have to be reduced by €100m or so in this budget or the next. I don’t think there would be as much outcry at this as many feel some abuse these payments.

Disability payments are €1.1bn. Doubt these will be touched yet but who knows.

There is probably €1bn savings to be made on the above but these are more than likely going to be eliminated by the rise in unemployment payments ie:c€1bn per every 100,000. (However this also takes €1bn off the tax take as well).

[Fear Dorcha]

Why don't you get a job?

You're a thundering disgrace.

You'll sit on your backside typing away on your PC and posting here, but you won't work?!

McDonald's are hiring people right now...get a McJob. If you're anyway competent you'll make manager.

€8.65 and hour times 38 hours is €329 per week.

I've seen numerous signs in bars looking for barmen...learn to pull a pint.

Unless you're incapacitated, and if you are I apologise, then you are a lazy sponger who should go out tomorrow and get a job.

Thank dog for McD and pubs. We are truly saved. Newsflash: Unemployment Solved, Boom Back!

[Andrew49]

Almost 20pc of children in Ireland lived in poverty while children represented the largest single group of people living with consistent deprivation, the Central Statistics Office revealed. Despite a 16.2pc increase in average family incomes in 2007, children remained the most at-risk group of the underprivileged, according to the CSO Survey on Income and Living Conditions 2007. Almost 40pc of those living in consistent poverty were children even though the overall consistent poverty rate fell from 6.5pc in 2006 to 5.1pc in 2007.

CSO Press Release

And 5,400 people die each year because of health inequalities. Cutting the welfare of the underprivileged will increase that figure .... ah, I see where Fianna Fail and the Green Party and Mary Harney are going now .... increase the number of those who are dying due to poverty will have the effect of decreasing the numbers living in poverty !! And dead people don't vote.

[smitchy2]

Almost 20pc of children in Ireland lived in poverty while children represented the largest single group of people living with consistent deprivation, the Central Statistics Office revealed. Despite a 16.2pc increase in average family incomes in 2007, children remained the most at-risk group of the underprivileged, according to the CSO Survey on Income and Living Conditions 2007. Almost 40pc of those living in consistent poverty were children even though the overall consistent poverty rate fell from 6.5pc in 2006 to 5.1pc in 2007.

CSO Press Release

And 5,400 people die each year because of health inequalities. Cutting the welfare of the underprivileged will increase that figure .... ah, I see where Fianna Fail and the Green Party and Mary Harney are going now .... increase the number of those who are dying due to poverty will have the effect of decreasing the numbers living in poverty !! And dead people don't vote.

You will be glad to know that these figures will be coming down dramatically over the next few years as the average family income plummets.

These statistics are bogus.

When the rate falls over the next few years will it be good on the ground of course not.

What I am proposing is that households above a certain threshold will not get child benefit- this will not effect any child at risk at poverty.

[FamilyGuy]

You will be glad to know that these figures will be coming down dramatically over the next few years as the average family income plummets.

These statistics are bogus.

When the rate falls over the next few years will it be good on the ground of course not.

What I am proposing is that households above a certain threshold will not get child benefit- this will not effect any child at risk at poverty.

What threshold?

[patslatt]

There's been a huge increase in social welfare rates over the past few years - and with more people about to hit the dole we need to look at cuts now:



There simple will be no money to pay if we continue as we are going, these increases should never have been given.

cYp

The UK offers supplements to rents and tax credits that complement low social welfare and pensions payments,as well as readily available council housing.

[Catalpa]

Listening to Q102 on the way home and they were asking people to ring in with suggestions to cut the Budget costs

- just heard 3 suggestions and 2 were to stop giving out the Child Allowance for foreign kids who dont even live here!

[cyberianpan]

The Mini Budget is on its way

Social Welfare is a growing expense, which of these will be reduced ?

1) The dole
2) Children's allowance
3) Other benefits ?

cYp

[EamonnZ]

I agree, €200 a week is way too much money for anyone.

I see all those single mothers and laid off workers driving up to the Social Welfare office in their Lexus GS 460s, the men getting out of the car decked out in the finest armani suits, the women getting out of the car at the mans side with their prada and louis vuitton bags in their arms, dressed in Donna Karan silk dresses. The nanny pushing the twins in the buggie in their TH gear.

Then when the money appears in their bank account they get their ten tennars out of the atm, go home, strip to their underwear (also designer of course) and just roll in all those tennars on their queen sized bed.



Exactly 20000!! Rolling around in €200 a week why would anyone want to get a job and go back to earning the €600 a week they were getting before?

We have simply been too generous with them.

Well then I apologise for becoming unemployed and having a right to exist. Show me the nearest suicide booth and I shall do what is necessary to appease you. Just like Guards, I need food to live to.

Sweeping generalisations like that are hurtful to genuine people who have paid taxes all their working lives to date and get nothing in return.

Try a lets reform approach. A young person with no tax contributions can get the EXACT same as a person who has worked over 40 years. Where is the equity in that. Blame the Government and OURSELVES who were to greedy to even take note what is now termed a Job Seekers Allowance receive. They are bought votes imo. There was a time Unemployment benfefit was linked into how much you contributed in tax, years worked etc, a school leaver could not even apply!

Everywhere needs to be looked at in a fair an equitable manner, something not forthcoming from Government and yourself obviously. Greed from industry also inflated what SW pays out.

By the way, I am willing to take a 20% cut in SW. Don't lump everyone into the same category.

Cheers

[stewiegriffin]

Sweeping generalisations like that are hurtful to genuine people who have paid taxes all their working lives to date and get nothing in return.

By the way, I am willing to take a 20% cut in SW. Don't lump everyone into the same category.

Cheers

Welcome to the machine . You are one of us now.

And for a little more gravitas.....
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZB_2oIKUVks"]YouTube - Pink Floyd - Welcome To The Machine[/ame]