Should the dole and other forms of welfare be slashed to manageable levels?

CommuterIE

Taxpayers are fuming, with the bailouts and our social welfare bill...

People say "if they slash our dole, I can't pay my mortgage". Do taxpayers really give a dam? Taxes can't go any higher for your average PAYE person nor for business... is it time the government bit the bullet? They may be forced to by the IMF anyway....

Predator_

No, the pay at the top should be slashed to manageable levels.

Saila

should there be an original thread for once?

mikemac

Job seekers benefit where the person has made contributions for years and years, no leave it alone.

Job seekers allowance for the long term unemployed; Where there was CERT, FÁS, Obair and lots of other training and if you're not working to improve, yeah slash it

super_furry

The need to start with rent allowance, which is stupidly high and artificially boosting the rental market.

Job seekers allowence is fair enough but should decrease on a sliding scale every year.

PeterIanStaker

How about slashing ministers pay and expenses, (which have been reduced but are still too high), as well as the salaries of the top civil servants? Also, they could do away with the Seanad while they're at it.

Having said that, people who have been sitting on their holes for years making no effort to find work should be penalised financially.

Eric Cartman

Predator_ wrote: »

No, the pay at the top should be slashed to manageable levels.

nobody earned the dole, its for surviving , not living

if you can get a job that pays 200k well done you deserve it , people on the dole deserve to look for a job and be thankful for free money I and the other taxpayers are handing them

CommuterIE

Predator_ wrote: »

No, the pay at the top should be slashed to manageable levels.

I don't understand...

If your talking about civil servants... that wouldn't even be a drop in the ocean!

If your talking about top bankers, the exchequer actually looses out on that tax revenue...

That argument, while noble, wouldn't change a thing in our financial affairs...

phasers

It's kind of a delicate situation, do you suggest that those with mortgages be put out on the street and the houses left to rot?

hondasam

I'm starting to not care any more.

medicsie

What good is slashing the dole etc if the costs of living are not tackled too?.

Gunsfortoys

hondasam wrote: »

I'm starting to not care any more.

Thanks for letting us know.

CommuterIE

medicsie wrote: »

What good is slashing the dole etc if the costs of living are not tackled too?.

Maybe it's helping keeping them up there...

jamesbrond

Oh yes. The country cant afford to keep paying such high amounts. Slash away and slash hard.

Slash public sector pay. Cut the dole. Cut rent allowance.

But if ever become a PS worker or end up on the dole, I reserve the right to change my mind. If that happens i'd like to tax the sh1t out of anyone working, and increase the dole.

Oh and make savage cuts the old age pension. When I retire though, lets reverse the cuts though.

dlofnep

No.

I've recently gone onto illness benefit after working 12 years on the trot. I get €147 a week. If anyone wants to try live on €147 a week, be my guest.

Yakult

The whole problem with the Social welfare is the lack of jobs. SUPPLY JOBS = LESS WELFARE.


I have seen no jobs creation yet, have you?

RichieC

It would have knock on effects in crime and, lets not forget the dole money goes back out the door into the economy.

Eric Cartman

how about instead of slashing the dole we just do better checks and get rid of all the wasted money on the welfare fraudsters in the country , im sure with a team of 5 people in dublin they could pay for themselves in a week by just following a few people on the dole

CommuterIE

dlofnep wrote: »

No.

I've recently gone onto illness benefit after working 12 years on the trot. I get €147 a week. If anyone wants to try live on €147 a week, be my guest.

I agree, tough to live on €147 a week...

But please enlighten us to your other benefits.... presumably you get your medical card, rent subsidies... hell maybe your food paid for, wouldn't surprise me...

MisterAnarchy

Eric Cartman wrote: »

nobody earned the dole, its for surviving , not living

Alot of families comprising 2 adults and 2 children are receiving benefits the equivalent of a 50k Paye income .
That is alot more than surviving.:mad:

hondasam

Gunsfortoys wrote: »

Thanks for letting us know.

your welcome!

solerina

Locate and cut off all those scamming the system- get them to pay it back (working in their local community because they probably will not have the cash). Those who worked and paid taxes give them a chance and keep paying them (maybe even increase their money for the first 12/24 months of unemployment. Sliding scale down to bare minimum for those who dont want to work (why should I be paying for their sky plus /cigatettes / alcohol /luxuries)

Aoifey!

Anyone who has lived on the dole knows that it is already the minimum. I agree that there should be more checks to ensure people on the dole are actually trying to secure jobs, but by cutting the dole all you are doing is pushing people below the minimum.

phasers

Do you think that dole money should just be cut? Or reallocated for something else, like courses or job training?

What's your solution for all the people who genuinely want to work but can't get a job ? I suppose they can tell their children that they don't deserve food because their parents are dole scum.

mattjack

CommuterIE wrote: »

I agree, tough to live on €147 a week...

But please enlighten us to your other benefits.... presumably you get your medical card, rent subsidies... hell maybe your food paid for, wouldn't surprise me...

food paid for ?..give over will ya...I got 130 euros and a medical card and i,ve a mortgage and two kids....you,re living in dreamland if ya think people can survive here on welfare

Aoifey!

CommuterIE wrote: »

I agree, tough to live on €147 a week...

But please enlighten us to your other benefits.... presumably you get your medical card, rent subsidies... hell maybe your food paid for, wouldn't surprise me...

Just because you're on the dole does not mean you automatically get rent allowance.

starviewadams

Aoifey! wrote: »

Just because you're on the dole does not mean you automatically get rent allowance.

Or a medical card

Eric Cartman

MisterAnarchy wrote: »

Alot of families comprising 2 adults and 2 children are receiving benefits the equivalent of a 50k Paye income .
That is alot more than surviving.:mad:

and thats my problem with it, being on the dole should not mean being able to buy drink, smokes, cars, holidays, new furniture for your house, widescreen tv's, drugs, dine out etc...

mattjack

MisterAnarchy wrote: »

Alot of families comprising 2 adults and 2 children are receiving benefits the equivalent of a 50k Paye income .
That is alot more than surviving.:mad:

introduce me to some of these families.....

Lawrence1895

The dole should be left alone, but if someone refuses to take a job without apparent reason, it should be slashed to a level that hurts.

Micky Dolenz

Take it to Economics or politics.
PM me if you have a compelling argument to reopen.