Scrapping welfare bonus 'hardest decision'

Cuchulain

Mary Hanafin has said the decision to scrap Christmas bonus payments for Social Welfare recipients was probably the hardest one the Government had to make in the supplementary Budget.

Minister for Social & Family Affairs said she accepted that its scapping would be 'very difficult' for those affected. She also said the Government regretted having to make these difficult decisions.

Speaking in the Dáil last night, Labour's Róisín Shortall described the cut as savage, while party colleague Seán Sherlock said it was miserly and mean.
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The Dáil debate on the Social Welfare Bill is due to conclude today.

What a load of crap. Thats great, sure give them a bonus for doing nothing, thats more incentive to stay on the dole. Stick in some summer bonus too so they can go on holidays for 2 weeks.

I cant understand how they can honestly say this decision was harder than increasing income levies, increasing health levies, pensions levies etc etc on the hardworking non-freeloaders.

easyeason3

Cuchulain wrote: »

What a load of crap. Thats great, sure give them a bonus for doing nothing, thats more incentive to stay on the dole. Stick in some summer bonus too so they can go on holidays for 2 weeks.

I cant understand how they can honestly say this decision was harder than increasing income levies, increasing health levies, pensions levies etc etc on the hardworking non-freeloaders.

For some people it is the difference of buying food/ presents/ fuel & for others it's a bonus to go & get plastered on. You will always have people who need & deserve it but you will also have people who shouldn't be signing on in the first place.
Anyone on social welfare better get used to it because sooner or later social welfare payments will be cut so moaning about a bonus that is technically a goodwill gesture should be the least of our worries.

Nodin

Cuchulain wrote: »

What a load of crap. Thats great, sure give them a bonus for doing nothing, thats more incentive to stay on the dole. Stick in some summer bonus too so they can go on holidays for 2 weeks.

I cant understand how they can honestly say this decision was harder than increasing income levies, increasing health levies, pensions levies etc etc on the hardworking non-freeloaders.

Heres a picture of a few hundred people queing for job interviews.
http://www.independent.ie/national-news/throwback-to-the-80s-as-hundreds-queue-for-jobs-1716771.html

After you seperate out who is a non-hardworking free loader, please give reasons why the remainder, who may not get a job by christmas, should get treated like shite by a state thats bailed out banks to the tune of 7 billion plus.

Cuchulain

Nodin wrote: »

Heres a picture of a few hundred people queing for job interviews.
http://www.independent.ie/national-news/throwback-to-the-80s-as-hundreds-queue-for-jobs-1716771.html

After you seperate out who is a non-hardworking free loader, please give reasons why the remainder, who may not get a job by christmas, should get treated like shite by a state thats bailed out banks to the tune of 7 billion plus.

Getting €200 tax-free for doing nothing is not being treated like "shite". Thats one of the best social welfare payments in Europe. I understand that many people are on the dole against their will, however this doesnt entitle them to a "free" social welfare payment. Especially since everybody (bar them) in the country has suffered from this recession.

With regards to the banks, you have to understand that the country cannot function without them. If the banks werent there then the lack of a Christmas bonus would the least of your worries.

K-9

Cuchulain wrote: »

Getting €200 tax-free for doing nothing is not being treated like "shite". Thats one of the best social welfare payments in Europe. I understand that many people are on the dole against their will, however this doesnt entitle them to a "free" social welfare payment. Especially since everybody (bar them) in the country has suffered from this recession.

With regards to the banks, you have to understand that the country cannot function without them. If the banks werent there then the lack of a Christmas bonus would the least of your worries.

We can't function if we don't treat our people properly either!

Don't worry, this saved about €200 Million, there'll be more cuts to come.

easyeason3

Cuchulain wrote: »

Getting €200 tax-free for doing nothing is not being treated like "shite". Thats one of the best social welfare payments in Europe. I understand that many people are on the dole against their will, however this doesnt entitle them to a "free" social welfare payment. Especially since everybody (bar them) in the country has suffered from this recession.

With regards to the banks, you have to understand that the country cannot function without them. If the banks werent there then the lack of a Christmas bonus would the least of your worries.

I'm putting my neck on the line here but I'd say losing a job would fall into the suffering category.

OhNoYouDidn't

Cuchulain wrote: »

Getting €200 tax-free for doing nothing is not being treated like "shite". Thats one of the best social welfare payments in Europe. I understand that many people are on the dole against their will, however this doesnt entitle them to a "free" social welfare payment. Especially since everybody (bar them) in the country has suffered from this recession.
With regards to the banks, you have to understand that the country cannot function without them. If the banks werent there then the lack of a Christmas bonus would the least of your worries.

The unemployed are not suffering from the recession?

Would you ever rev up and fcuk off.

alegrabaroque

My stomach literly just did three summersaults when I read the link there to the indo. God it is really scary!

And its not that easy to get the dole. Its a very degrading experience. They go through everything, its not a walk in the park! You have to prove you don`t have other means. Any time I`ve had the misfortune I`ve been called in for numberous interviews. Its really horrible.

Nodin

Cuchulain wrote: »

Getting €200 tax-free for doing nothing is not being treated like "shite". Thats one of the best social welfare payments in Europe..

.....taking into account cost of living, and various non-cash benefits in other states?

Cuchulain wrote: »

I understand that many people are on the dole against their will, however this doesnt entitle them to a "free" social welfare payment. Especially since everybody (bar them) in the country has suffered from this recession.

A good deal of them are on the dole because of the recession, therefore, obviously, they have suffered. Secondly, as they paid tax to support the system directly and indirectly through tax and various duties, its not "free".

If you want to get angry about something, try this...

LAST YEAR some of the richest people in the State, people who earned in the region of €90,000 a week and more, paid income tax at a rate of 20 per cent, the same rate as people who were earning €500 a week.

The Revenue Commissioners are due to conclude a study next April that will examine the impact of the constraints announced by Cowen in 2006. Data from the income returns from high earners for 2007 will be compared with the results of a Revenue study published in 2007 and which related to the 2003 tax year.
The study examined the income tax affairs of the State’s 400 top earners and found that 80 had paid income tax at an effective rate of less than 15 per cent. Three paid no tax at all, 45 paid at a rate of less than 5 per cent, and 17 paid tax at rates between five and 10 per cent.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/opinion/2009/0306/1224242370072.html

K-9

Nodin wrote: »

.....taking into account cost of living, and various non-cash benefits in other states?



A good deal of them are on the dole because of the recession, therefore, obviously, they have suffered. Secondly, as they paid tax to support the system directly and indirectly through tax and various duties, its not "free".

If you want to get angry about something, try this...



http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/opinion/2009/0306/1224242370072.html

GRRRRRR.

At €90,000 they pay a 20% effective rate.

At €500 it would be about 5%.

They are comparing apples with oranges!

oscarBravo

Cuchulain wrote: »

What a load of crap. Thats great, sure give them a bonus for doing nothing, thats more incentive to stay on the dole. Stick in some summer bonus too so they can go on holidays for 2 weeks.

With an opener like that, this thread is only going to descend into yet another pointless row.

It would be nice if people could curb their tendencies to lash out at entire demographics in ways that are calculated to piss lots of people off.