IBEC seeks 3% cut in welfare payments

[EamonnZ]

Precisely why welfare needs to be cut, €204 here vs ~€66 in UK, over 3 times as much

That being so, I presume then since I was "forced" to paye PAYE/PRSI then by the same token, I could demand my 23 years plus of contributions?

If I'm allowed that, then yes, scrap the bloody thing. I agree that reform is needed, weed out the scam artists...

I think the current system is wrong, whereby a person who has worked and led a life based on their income , ie Mortgage, Car is left stranded. A person who has not contributed one single cent and not in typical debt gets the same. That is inequality in my opinion.

The most offensive part of our current system is if you have contributed you get Benefit, if you have not you are means tested and qualify for more "perks". I kid you not. I learn as I learn the system which I definitely have not milked.

As I said before, SW was raised in line with the cost of living here and was also used as a voting/election promise.

Again, in my opinion, the Government is to blame...

What would you propose?

Cheers

[Question R24U]

a time of crisis is precisely the time for radical long term reform. It should not be wasted.
Replace social welfare with basic income? Tax children's allowance? New approach to long term dependents on it - eg notice of a cutoff point? Workfare? Pay people to emigrate?End social housing for all but old, infirm and in danger of real homelessness? They would be radical and would save more than 3% but it does not require too analysis - either we can afford they or we can't. Will results be real hardship or just inconvenience eg note home to parents?
Welfare should be a safety net - not a lifestyle choice.

[sandar]

wedont want people to emigrate thats wouold be a long term disaster,.he other measures you mention have some merit, but spending power cannot be removed form the economy its a disaster.

[petervalhala]

weed out the scam artists...

I think the current system is wrong, whereby a person who has worked and led a life based on their income , ie Mortgage, Car is left stranded. A person who has not contributed one single cent and not in typical debt gets the same. That is inequality in my opinion.

Totally agree with you, see my last paragraph here http://www.politics.ie/1538311-post40.html

[evercloserunion]

And I think all the taxpayers' money should be given to me.

It's not surprising that IBEC would call for everyone except IBEC to be screwed over, but I don't see why anyone should attribute the call any importance. There's no economics in the claim, no argument from the common good. It's just pure, unmitigated self-interest. Not the kind of thing we need to dwell on in the current climate.

[turdsl]

All I.B E.C want is not to pay a just wage and let the poor go hungary,there will not be to many sorry for them over the next few years.

[Catalpa]

The Government could not be seen to act on IBECs bidding
against those on SW when IBEC members displayed such greed over the years that has helped to land us in this mess.

On the other hand the axe has to land somewhere and the SW Budget is going to be one of the Depts where some serious chopping is going to be done.

I would expect if direct payments are implemented then a cut of 1 or 2% is more likely and probably the latter - at least for now.

1% is too small for the political Flak involved and 3% after IBEC calling for it is also risky so I reckin if they do it at all it will be 2%.

+ means test for Child Allowance & some other ones too.

[myksav]

Its perfectly reasonable to look for a 3% cut in SW when real prices have fallen by the same amount.

SW payment were increased by 2% in October because it was anticipated that inflation in 2009 would be 2%.

Have you been shopping recently? The prices haven't dropped as far as basics are concerned. They actually went up slightly since the start of the year.
Dropping interst rates don't effect me much, "luckily" I don't have a mortgage so hikes and drops don't apply. Neither do any other interest rate connected expenses. It's not getting much cheaper in shops.

[myksav]

Eh, no, that's not how it works, because income derived from Social Welfare can only come from 2 places, borrowing and taxes, both of which are economic depressants.

Social Welfare systems exist to protect the vulnerable, not buttress consumer demand.

If you want to create consumer demand, you look at transaction taxes.

How would cutting SW benefit the vulnerable, if it exists to protect them?

[Marvel]

Employers' body IBEC has called for social welfare payments to be reduced by 3% in next week's Budget.

More from RTE.ie...

But of course they are!!

No doubt they'll lobby for the cut to go to them via Giovernment sponsored "cost next to nothing" training programmes to dupe their employees into thinking they actually care. Or further corporate tax cuts to legitimise tax evasion

A docile employee is a happy one!!