What is the most goverment can take off social welfare?

CorkMan

I assume €10-€15 euro max. Lots of people are struggling, they can't cut off too much.

Biggins

*sigh*

...Not another one!

Ruu_Old

The whole lot!

kowloon

€7 billion

old_aussie

Reduce the dole by 2.5% per month till it gets down to 66% of the max.

Jesus Wept

I really don't see what help it is to people's psyche to make them progressively poorer month after month after month after month after month after month after month.

PanchoVilla

I reckon we should cut the dole completely and just have everyone dealing drugs, robbing shops, or mugging tourists in Temple Bar. Prostitution is also a good option. That'll sort the economy.

goose2005

Given that the British unemployed get £60 a week, it could go down by a lot. Then again, there's far more to be made by cutting high earners than low earners.

Pdfile

CorkMan wrote: »

I assume €10-€15 euro max. Lots of people are struggling, they can't cut off too much.

their as actual jobs out their just not worth anyones time doing them as they might have to be productive...

i dunno and dont care, the whole country can sink ima stay afloat.

Pherekydes

100%

Chorcai

Pdfile wrote: »

their as actual jobs out their just not worth anyones time doing them as they might have to be productive...

i dunno and dont care, the whole country can sink ima stay afloat.

What ?

They should have some bloody balls and make jobseekers benefit payable for up to 2 years if you've paid up to 2-3 years worth of stamps. They should take jobseekers allowance on the other hand and reduce it to 100 euro a week.

If you've been long term unemployed then I don't see why you should be getting the same as people who have actually paid towards their dole. And if you've paid towards your dole you shouldn't have it cut the same as people who haven't, just so the government can be seen to be doing good for the "most vulnerable" (read: Scum) for votes.

Osgoodisgood

goose2005 wrote: »

Given that the British unemployed get £60 a week, it could go down by a lot. Then again, there's far more to be made by cutting high earners than low earners.

I'd like to see the maths on that.

Pherekydes

Rojomcdojo wrote: »

...just so the government can be seen to be doing good for the "most vulnerable" (read: Scum) for votes.

Not wanting to sidetrack this thread into a serious discussion, but how does it follow that the most vulnerable in society are scum?

ctrl-alt-delete

goose2005 wrote: »

Given that the British unemployed get £60 a week, it could go down by a lot. Then again, there's far more to be made by cutting high earners than low earners.

The prices for the stuff that social welfare is spent on differ by about the same percentage, you can't really base it on the figure received alone.
I would say given that in most cases 100% of social welfare payments go straight back into the economy then they won't be too harsh on it - maybe the same amount as last time.

bigbluesky

if they take a hatchet to social welfare

they will have to re spend it on prisons..

IMF 'social cohesion' risks with savage cuts

up for anything

Rojomcdojo wrote: »

They should have some bloody balls and make jobseekers benefit payable for up to 2 years if you've paid up to 2-3 years worth of stamps. They should take jobseekers allowance on the other hand and reduce it to 100 euro a week.

If you've been long term unemployed then I don't see why you should be getting the same as people who have actually paid towards their dole. And if you've paid towards your dole you shouldn't have it cut the same as people who haven't, just so the government can be seen to be doing good for the "most vulnerable" (read: Scum) for votes.

Pherekydes wrote: »

Not wanting to sidetrack this thread into a serious discussion, but how does it follow that the most vulnerable in society are scum?

Oh that's easy, Pherekydes. At the moment I am an upstanding member of society with twenty years of stamps behind her but unfortunately on social welfare for nearly a year. In another year unless I am lucky enough to win the lottery or find a job that will match my munificent social welfare income*, I turn into scum. It's as easy as that.



*Probably the same odds as winning the lottery.

squod

goose2005 wrote: »

Given that the British unemployed get £60 a week, it could go down by a lot. Then again, there's far more to be made by cutting high earners than low earners.

There's people in Britain on £1,000 a week and more WYB. They don't have the same cap as we do.

Nijmegen

Yes, let's cut it randomly for all people, regardless of their circumstances.

The same cut for a person living in a household with someone still working and earning as for someone living alone or with two on the dole!

To give an analogy about social welfare targeting...

We're in the 21st Century, where a missile can be fired from 200 miles away and hit a target to within a few inches.

In Ireland, we're still throwing grenades out the side of our World War 1 biplane and hoping for the best.

DonJose

The government should not cut the dole they should tax it, in fact all benefits and pensions should be taxed. There are too many people in Ireland paying no tax at all. In Germany the tax free amount is €8,004, in Ireland its €18,300 :eek:

thebigbiffo

meh - about 15 quid a week. and then the unemployed will be up in arms and we'll have to look at talkin heads on the news all day talking about how 15 euros can push people over the edge.

if a single individual cant get by on 185 quid a week we've got issues

homerjay2005

there are so many ways to means test it that could save millions, even billions. but they are probably jsut too lazy to do that and will just cut everybody by 10euro.

Some people on the dole,live a very comfortable life. and people also forget, theres more than just the dole, theres rent allowance, child benifit, single parents allowance.

it is all too much and people, in some cases are better off being on SW than working. a cousin of mine claimed to be getting 1500 a week in social welfare. i know another couple who are non national and get 2700 a month off social and live a top class lifestyle from it. neither of them have worked in almost 2 years.

i would cut it by 50% for people 18-21 living at home.
would cut the single parents allowance by 50%, if you want to have kids, then its your choice to feed them and cloth them.
long term unemployed, greater than 3 years, cut by 50%.
cut rent allowance by 25%,if people want to live in lush apartments and have the government pay for them, then let them pay for them themselves.

we waste more money on SW than any other country in europe, its not funny anymore.

bryaner

You got to love some people that have this romantic vision of being on social welfare.

After 20 years working I get to sit in my kitchen with my Regatta great outdoors jacket on.

Come on over to my place (bring your jacket).

gonedrinking

we are on the brink of total meltdown, one of the poorest countries in the western world, yet we have one of the most generous social welfare systems in the world, it beggars belief

bryaner

Come on then get on board lets see how you can stretch €106.90 a week.

Quandary

Would it be so bad if Germany had won i wonder...

ejmaztec

Quandary wrote: »

Would it be so bad if Germany had won i wonder...

What's the World Cup got to do with this?

bryaner

ejmaztec wrote: »

What's the World Cup got to do with this?

The world cup with tanks.

bryaner

bryaner wrote: »

Come on then get on board lets see how you can stretch €106.90 a week.

Unless you're paying a mortgage also the dole is extremely easy to survive on. I saved 100 euro a week when I was on it and I was spending almost 40 quid a week on smokes...

bryaner

Rojomcdojo wrote: »

Unless you're paying a mortgage also the dole is extremely easy to survive on. I saved 100 euro a week when I was on it and I was spending almost 40 quid a week on smokes...

Mortgage 2 kids and wife just above min wage.

Susie_Q

Rojomcdojo wrote: »

Unless you're paying a mortgage also the dole is extremely easy to survive on. I saved 100 euro a week when I was on it and I was spending almost 40 quid a week on smokes...

Then I assume you're living at home with Mummy and Daddy who pay for your electricity, gas, food, household cleaning products etc? Get real.

Minstrel27

CorkMan wrote: »

I assume €10-€15 euro max. Lots of people are struggling, they can't cut off too much.

I guess that those who still do can get rid of the Sky tv. Hardly a necessity now is it. Nights drinking could also be stopped.

I am aware that this isn't true for all social welfare recipients but I know of quite a few who pay for Sky and go on the piss with their dole.

Nulty

Pherekydes wrote: »

Not wanting to sidetrack this thread into a serious discussion, but how does it follow that the most vulnerable in society are scum?

I think he's refering to the scum as some of the "most vulnerable".

All scum are vulnerable but not all vulnerable are scum.

I do not endorse the comment, I'm just trying to give my idea of what he was trying to communicate.

bryaner

Susie_Q wrote: »

Then I assume you're living at home with Mummy and Daddy who pay for your electricity, gas, food, household cleaning products etc? Get real.

No thats all free via the electricity, heat ,food and gas fairy.

ibarelycare

There should be no lower limit on who pays the income levy and those on the dole should have to pay it too. It would save millions. It's 2% at the moment (will possibly go up in the budget).

syklops

Susie_Q wrote: »

Then I assume you're living at home with Mummy and Daddy who pay for your electricity, gas, food, household cleaning products etc? Get real.

How much are you spending on household cleaning products that you have put it in the same category as ESB and Gas? :eek:


With careful budgeting you can live on very little. Its amazing how little you can live on if you put your mind to it. There are bargains to be had everywhere, if you look for it.

Beans on toast is a tasty and nutritious snack which costs very little to make. A hell of a lot less than a 7 Euro Panini.

testicle

The-Rigger wrote: »

I really don't see what help it is to people's psyche to make them progressively poorer month after month after month after month after month after month after month.

Governments (any of them) aren't here to help people's psyche!

bryaner

syklops wrote: »

How much are you spending on household cleaning products that you have put it in the same category as ESB and Gas? :eek:


With careful budgeting you can live on very little. Its amazing how little you can live on if you put your mind to it. There are bargains to be had everywhere, if you look for it.

Beans on toast is a tasty and nutritious snack which costs very little to make. A hell of a lot less than a 7 Euro Panini.

I think Susie was just pointing out that they are not free, most kiddos on the dole think everything is free.

I didn't even know a panini was €7 but I know a can of beans is 25c

johnnyjb

Rojomcdojo wrote: »

Unless you're paying a mortgage also the dole is extremely easy to survive on. I saved 100 euro a week when I was on it and I was spending almost 40 quid a week on smokes...

Ya well you obviously live with mammy and have no car ,bike etc.. She buys and cooks dinner and you just sit in a pile of **** all day smoking counterfit fags.

Grow up , just cause your neglecting yourself doesnt mean whole families should.

I suppose this whole thing is being blown out of proportion "Vote Fianna Fail" :mad:

dark crystal

homerjay2005 wrote: »

would cut the single parents allowance by 50%, if you want to have kids, then its your choice to feed them and cloth them.

How is punishing the children for the 'sins' of the parents going to help? It may make you feel better to see many more children delivered into poverty because of a predisposed view you have of lone parents, but I honestly hope the government sees that not all lone parents are availing of this allowance to live the life of luxury you seem to think they are.

For each recipient, there are countless different stories of how they got to that point. Of course there will be chancers, as in every walk of life, but I suspect the majority of single parent families are simply trying to get by on very little, same as a lot of other families.

However, I would definitely advocate cutting the child benefit for higher earners. in my view, anyone who can afford to live without it, should.

I would also abolish the Seanad, overhaul the T.D's expenses system and take a long, hard look at the immigration policy employed in this country. When unemployment is running at 12%, supporting a growing number of asylum seekers entering the country, as well as it's own citizens surely can't continue in the current climate without something starting to buckle.

Cutting overseas aid is also another viable option for the same reasons.

topper75

Ireland's budget deficit has shot up in direct proportion to the sense of entitlement. Something has to be thrown out of the basket to stop the balloon falling. The dole is looking rather heavy at almost €200 a week versus the £65 across the pond. Interesting times.

zeds alive

topper75 wrote: »

The dole is looking rather heavy at almost €200 a week versus the £65 across the pond. Interesting times.

Shame that the cost of living this side of the pond is far higher

zeds alive

zeds alive wrote: »

Shame that the cost of living this side of the pond is far higher

Really? Got figures to back that up?

thebigbiffo

dark crystal wrote: »

However, I would definitely advocate cutting the child benefit for higher earners. in my view, anyone who can afford to live without it, should.

so the people who pay the most tax to keep the social welfare pot nice and high dont get any return whatsoever from the state.

i hate this idea.

inforfun

zeds alive wrote: »

Shame that the cost of living this side of the pond is far higher

3x as expensive?

Cookie_Monster

back to 2000 levels since thats where a lot of prices are anyway

zeds alive

Rojomcdojo wrote: »

Really? Got figures to back that up?

Have you got figures to prove me wrong?

topper75

zeds alive wrote: »

Shame that the cost of living this side of the pond is far higher

Some things can be a little higher I'll grant you zeds. Far higher? Probably not. Some things e.g fuel can even be lower here.

If you ask me, generous welfare payments might have their own, not insignificant, role in generating higher prices in our economy.

Rent relief would be a good instance of this. It is an artificial floor for the entire house rental market. When our housing market is oversupplied as it is, such an artificial price floor is a very ugly, not to mention ludicrous, distortion.

Either way the discrepancy between €200 and £65 is one to be reckoned with. And reckon with it they will.

earlyevening

FYI, here are the figures which indicate the dramatic rise in unemployment benefit in the last few years.

Budget 2000: €96.50
Budget 2001: €106.66 (+10.5%)
Budget 2002: €118.80 (+11.3%)
Budget 2003: €124.80 (+5%)
Budget 2004: €134.80 (+8%)
Budget 2005: €148.80 (+10.3%)
Budget 2006: €165.80 (+11.4%)
Budget 2007: €185.80 (+12%)
Budget 2008: €197.80 (+6.4%)
Budget 2009: €204.80 (+3.5%) .

bryaner

Its far cheaper across the pond, a mate of mine lives in Essex and and is dumbfounded at the cost of living when he comes back to Ireland.

The Waltzing Consumer

earlyevening wrote: »

FYI, here are the figures which indicate the dramatic rise in unemployment benefit in the last few years.

Budget 2000: €96.50
Budget 2001: €106.66 (+10.5%)
Budget 2002: €118.80 (+11.3%)
Budget 2003: €124.80 (+5%)
Budget 2004: €134.80 (+8%)
Budget 2005: €148.80 (+10.3%)
Budget 2006: €165.80 (+11.4%)
Budget 2007: €185.80 (+12%)
Budget 2008: €197.80 (+6.4%)
Budget 2009: €204.80 (+3.5%) .

That is pretty interesting, at the moment, 2010, its what 185 Euro I think. I would guess it will be cut by ten, fifteen euro this year.