Social welfare at risk?

[wexfordman]

I got a fright when I read the headline of this thread first. I thought it said Public Sector Pensions at risk!! Phew, thank god for that!!

[bluefish]

So what happens when we cut the welfare?

Imagine all the loans that cant be repaid or will have to have reduced payments.

This will reduce the income of the banks and create more toxic debt.

Imagine all the mortgages that wont be met.

Increased repossessions, which in turn reduces the value of houses further, more strain on social housing with councils having to find homes for the homeless families. Private rents being hit as people can afford to pay them anymore, or seek alternative accommodation lowering the income of landlords.

Imagine the reduced cost in spending on all types of goods and services.

Less tax take for the government.

And finally, how many people will just shop North of the border every week to save costs instead of shopping in the south?

We will have increased crime. (Cant imagine too many travellers would except a cut in living!)

Increase in black market goods, such as alcohol and cigarettes. All meaning decreased revenue for the exchequer.


So cutting the Dole could be the final nail in the coffin for Ireland.


All this at the same time as many TD`s get a pay rise,
Edna Kenny and other TD`s and Senators refusing to take a pay cut,
The public sector not getting any cuts in their pensions or cuts in jobs.
People like the Gardai having to take a pay cut!

Sounds like the ingredients for a ...................

[petervalhala]

Social welfare is running at 20 billion plus. It needs slashed. The dole here is four times the Northern equivalent. I know some genuinely needy people will be hurt, but that gap has to be closed.

Latest figures show 21+ billion, remember its 4 times the UK rate, not just the north.

I'm writing this, on my way home from work, in a pub on my laptop, watching the 6 o'clock news before I go home. I'm surrounded by half a dozen 'lads' who have never worked in their lives, have no intention of, and contribute ZERO to the state. Apart from myself only one other person is interested in the news, until some story about the uk premiersh1ts is mentioned.

It's completely unfair that these social parasites get the same payment as people who have worked, have been made redundant and desperately want to work.

Why its called 'job seekers allowance' for such useless eaters is beyond me, be honest, call it lazy bastards allowance and give them the €50 or €60 a week a person in the UK would receive.

[greasytrucker]

Just watching Vincent Browne now.. He keeps mentioning that the social welfare fund is about to collapse...does anyone know any more?

I'm not on social welfare myself, but I am just wondering what are the implications for the country? Will that mean even more borrowing?

It just gets worse and worse.

Its unsustainable, dole in the Uk is £60 a week in the rep 210 euro a week for a single person.

[petervalhala]

We have corporate gombeen capitalism in government,that then do the vote buying jig through a socialist welfare state structure.

You mean we have a pro business, pro enterprise government that encourages people to better themselves, and then used the taxes from this to take care of the worse off, including those that don't deserve it ?

[petervalhala]

Who would have guessed it ?

Most generous dole in Europe + mass immigration = disastrous social welfare bill.

They must be short of calculators in the finance dept.

Nearly correct, real equation:

Most generous dole in Europe + 5% social parasites = high social welfare bill.

The vast majority of immigrants here work, plus like any Irish person, need a certain level of PRSI to qualify for benefit.

[petervalhala]

So what happens when we cut the welfare?

Imagine all the loans that cant be repaid or will have to have reduced payments.

This will reduce the income of the banks and create more toxic debt.

Imagine all the mortgages that wont be met.

Increased repossessions, which in turn reduces the value of houses further, more strain on social housing with councils having to find homes for the homeless families. Private rents being hit as people can afford to pay them anymore, or seek alternative accommodation lowering the income of landlords.

Imagine the reduced cost in spending on all types of goods and services.

Less tax take for the government.

And finally, how many people will just shop North of the border every week to save costs instead of shopping in the south?

We will have increased crime. (Cant imagine too many travellers would except a cut in living!)

Increase in black market goods, such as alcohol and cigarettes. All meaning decreased revenue for the exchequer.


So cutting the Dole could be the final nail in the coffin for Ireland.


All this at the same time as many TD`s get a pay rise,
Edna Kenny and other TD`s and Senators refusing to take a pay cut,
The public sector not getting any cuts in their pensions or cuts in jobs.
People like the Gardai having to take a pay cut!

Sounds like the ingredients for a ...................

What on earth are you talking about? Are you saying people on the dole are paying mortgages? If they are, then they must be working too and therefore stealing from us taxpayers.

It's a myth, a very dangerous one, that everything across the border is cheaper, sure Joe Duffy will always find specific examples that are, however that's not true for most items, and keeping this myth running will only destory more and more jobs in the Republic of Ireland.

There has always been crime, and any knac, sorry traveller, I've ever met has certainly not been short of money.

All we need are most severe sentences for people who smuggle, with mandatory sentences for repeat offenders; these people steal from our country, from out pockets and need to be treated as the scum they are.

All public servants should be ashamed of the actions they have and propose to take, with 1,000 people a day losing their jobs, these overpaid (see any recent, independent report) PUBLIC servants with guaranteed jobs, and pensions they only only 25% of the real world value for, are living in fantasy land. They are committing treason as, if they had their way, they would bankrupt this country.

[Tressell]

What on earth are you talking about? Are you saying people on the dole are paying mortgages? If they are, then they must be working too and therefore stealing from us taxpayers.

It's a myth, a very dangerous one, that everything across the border is cheaper, sure Joe Duffy will always find specific examples that are, however that's not true for most items, and keeping this myth running will only destory more and more jobs in the Republic of Ireland.

There has always been crime, and any knac, sorry traveller, I've ever met has certainly not been short of money.

All we need are most severe sentences for people who smuggle, with mandatory sentences for repeat offenders; these people steal from our country, from out pockets and need to be treated as the scum they are.

All public servants should be ashamed of the actions they have and propose to take, with 1,000 people a day losing their jobs, these overpaid (see any recent, independent report) PUBLIC servants with guaranteed jobs, and pensions they only only 25% of the real world value for, are living in fantasy land. They are committing treason as, if they had their way, they would bankrupt this country.

I think you've had too much of the amber nectar, Peter. Firstly, it is not inconceivable for people who are on the dole to have a mortgage. As you correctly state approx. 1000 per day are losing their jobs. I would guess that a large % had mortgages too before they lost their jobs, and these people deserve help through Mortgage Supplementary Payments etc.

Secondly, not everything is cheaper in the North, correct, however, the items/foodstuffs reqd. to feed a family are. Also, luxury goods, cars, TVs, electrical goods are. Medicines/health care is cheaper. The only disparity my wife finds is in some clothing and shoes.
Quick Example- Bale of Briquettes, Made in Offaly €3.80
Bale of Briquettes, Made in Offaly £2.20 equates to €2.50 in Enniskillen.


Thirdly, Plenty of Travellers in this country are without money. Just stop some evening on your way home from work at any halting site. There may be some 08s/09s, but the large majority of Travellers are just like us, trying to get by.

Depends on what is being smuggled-If its drugs, arms etc. I agree 100%. However, if it is people like myself, exercising my EU citizenship by shopping in the North, well then I must disagree.

As for your last comment regarding PS workers-I don't apologise for having a job. I made a choice.

[anewbeginning]

I don't care what the left wing loo la's say or think, we need to shut the door to immigrants immediately. The open door policy has contributed to the social welfare mess as well leaving hundreds of thousands of Irish unemployed.

The left wing with their left wing nuttery are destroying this country and then try to finger everyone else. It's time they grew up and realised as a nation we cannot provide jobs for our own let alone hundreds of thousands of immigrants.

[Tressell]

Which immigrants would that be. All those EU citizens whose taxes bailed Ireland out for the last 30 plus years.