Man Who Led Walking Protest Has His Dole Cut

Biggins

UPROAR AS MAN WHO LED WALKING PROTEST HAS HIS DOLE CUT
The man who led a walk from Donegal to Dublin in protest at austerity measures has had his dole cut.

Joe Murphy from Culdaff in Co Donegal captured the public’s imagination when he went on the massive walk and even appeared on the Late Late Show.
But the unemployed builder has revealed how he has had four days of his dole money cut.
He revealed “I was allowed 12 days holidays and I think everyone on the dole is entitled to that.
“But I was cut four days dole money because they said I was unavailable for work. Because I was on the protest walk, they said I was not available.
“Does that mean if I go for a walk down the town then they can turn off my dole,” he said.

Joe said he knows that the order to cut his dole money came from the top down.
He said he had absolutely no problem with the staff of his local social welfare office in Buncrana.
He even revealed how local staff had written him a cheque for €310 to keep him going.
“I have nothing against the staff in Buncrana. They have been more than helpful. They are only following orders.

“I know this came from Dublin. I went down to the office in Buncrana and they kindly wrote me a cheque for €310. They bent over backwards for me.
“Without that money I would not have been able to have breakfast this week.
“Because I lost four days on the dole there was no money for my family.
“My wife had to depend on the goodwill of family and friends,” he said.

* http://www.donegaldaily.com/2012/04/05/uproar-as-man-who-led-walking-protest-has-his-dole-cut/

---

A strange case.
I can see both sides of the argument but I'd (and many others it might seem) like to hear who it was exactly "Up-High" that ordered that he get slapped with this punishment!
Has someone political decided to try and pressurise him, to shut him up and/or try stop his political household protests (given his media success already, doing quite well) from continuing?

Something just don't smell right with this.
I suspect someone might want him silenced?

recylingbin

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
That'll learn him to keep his mouth shut when he's sucking on the teat of the state.

Peetrik

Well I'm quite sure none of our politicians who are being paid out of the public pocket would ever dream of doing a few rounds of golf or taking a few hours for personal use when they are on the clock.

policarp

That is very very petty.
I wonder if came to 100 euro. . .

davet82

very odd indeed, i think its ridiculous really, what a good way to give this guy more attention whoever decided on the course of action btw

Canis Lupus

Biggins wrote: »

* http://www.donegaldaily.com/2012/04/05/uproar-as-man-who-led-walking-protest-has-his-dole-cut/

---

A strange case.
I can see both sides of the argument but I'd (and many others it might seem) like to hear who it was exactly "Up-High" that ordered that he get slapped with this punishment!
Has someone political decided to try and pressurise him, to shut him up and/or try stop his political household protests (given his media success already, doing quite well) from continuing?

Something just don't smell right with this.
I suspect someone might want him silenced?

Sounds too conspiracy theoy to me. He was on telly publicly showing he wasn't available for work. Tough luck but if them's the rules.

smash

media success? This is the first time I've heard of him.

Biggins

To be clear.
A person on the dole is entitled to a number of days 'off' but to be correct according to their dole receiving conditions, must in advance, notify their nearest social Security office of those desired days.

If he didn't in advance tell them of the days he was going to be 'unavailable' - technically he was indeed breaking their rules.
Now if it was done with a political bias really behind it - thats a whole worrying aspect altogether!

SEPT 23 1989

As the Garlic man found out you dont fcuk with the State:mad:

AnonoBoy

What was his walking protest about?

smokedeels

Biggins wrote: »

If he didn't in advance tell them of the days we was going to be 'unavailable' - technically he was indeed breaking their rules.

If this is the case then he's brought the punishment on himself. It's a obvious point to make but I'll make it. If he walked out of a job for several days without informing his boss he'd be sacked/warned, this is no different.

Even if it's some conspiracy from "high-up" he gave them the ammunition.

davet82

AnonoBoy wrote: »

What was his walking protest about?

people on the dole

Biggins

AnonoBoy wrote: »

What was his walking protest about?

The man who led a walk from Donegal to Dublin in protest at austerity measures has had his dole cut.

From the article.

smokedeels wrote: »

...Even if it's some conspiracy from "high-up" he gave them the ammunition.

No argument there.

Einhard

In fairness, if someone is not avilable for work then I see no problem with cutting their dole for those days. And I say that as someone who has been on the dole.

Stiffler2

So protesting is illegal now ?
he should take them to the supreme court

ejmaztec

Congrats to the dole office for creating a martyr. Pure genius.

Caliden

Did they give him a call during those days with the offer of a job or something?

Bit stupid if they didn't considering he might have stopped what he was doing if they had a job for him.

Biggins

Stiffler2 wrote: »

So protesting is illegal now ?
he should take them to the supreme court

He would lose.
Technically, he DID break the rules if he did not inform them in advance.

ejmaztec wrote: »

Congrats to the dole office for creating a martyr. Pure genius.

They have certainly helped give him more publicity! :pac:
Whoever might have wanted him to go quietly away, might have scored an own-goal.
DOH!

Stiffler2

Biggins wrote: »

He would lose.
Technically, he DID break the rules if he did not inform them in advance.


They have certainly helped give him more publicity! :pac:
Whoever might have wanted him to go quietly away, might have scored an own-goal.
DOH!

maybe he'll do it at weekends next time then or Do you have to be out looking for work 7 days a week ?

gurramok

Thats a very expensive 310 quid brekkie.

smokedeels

Actually if the Dole office wanted to take him out without martyring him then the offer of a high paying job might have worked.

One with a good dental plan, I hear his daughter Lisa needs braces.

toexpress

I thought the dole was €188 why did he get €310?

Biggins

Stiffler2 wrote: »

maybe he'll do it at weekends next time then or Do you have to be out looking for work 7 days a week ?

Don't hold me to it but the only day you might be in the clear, is a Sunday.
Any other day, you have to inform them about.
(Open to be wrong)

toexpress wrote: »

I thought the dole was €188 why did he get €310?

Additional payment for kids?

hardCopy

Good enough for him.

He should have brought some CVs to hand in to all the businesses he passed on his way.

If you're not at least looking for work you shouldn't get dole.

They should really send inspectors round IDing all the spongers at the LUAS stops as well and cutting their dole.

smokedeels

hardCopy wrote: »

all the spongers at the LUAS stops as well and cutting their dole.

The lads standing by the ticket machine that your change shoots out of?

davet82

hmmm.... he's probably not got a job offer 656 days yet he goes for a walk and they cut his dole, that just stinks imo

gurramok

hardCopy wrote: »

They should really send inspectors round IDing all the spongers at the LUAS stops as well and cutting their dole.

They're probably on disability allowance.(whatever the latest title of it is now)

Biggins

hardCopy wrote: »

...They should really send inspectors round IDing all the spongers at the LUAS stops as well and cutting their dole.

Some people standing around those machines, might be going or just coming from job interviews too?

toexpress

Biggins wrote: »

Don't hold me to it but the only day you might be in the clear, is a Sunday.
Any other day, you have to inform them about.
(Open to be wrong)


Additional payment for kids?

Do they get that as well? I thought that was the children's allowance? Surely their dole isn't increased based on the number of children they have

ejmaztec

toexpress wrote: »

I thought the dole was €188 why did he get €310?

They probably threw in some travelling expenses.

Kaner2004

who said he wasnt available for work . im sure if, while on his walk, someone offered him a job he could have taken it.

Biggins

toexpress wrote: »

Do they get that as well? I thought that was the children's allowance? Surely their dole isn't increased based on the number of children they have

Yes, it is.
See:
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/social_welfare_payments_to_families_and_children/child_benefit.html
http://www.welfare.ie/EN/Publications/sw19/Pages/sw19_sect4.aspx

Kaner2004 wrote: »

who said he wasnt available for work . im sure if, while on his walk, someone offered him a job he could have taken it.

You have to be actively looking for a job.
Not just waiting for one to be handed to you - by post or while on a march.

ejmaztec

toexpress wrote: »

Do they get that as well? I thought that was the children's allowance? Surely their dole isn't increased based on the number of children they have

Of course it is.

Sykk

You don't turn up for work, you don't get paid.. I don't see the problem?

spurious

It's a pity it's not docked when they fail to send them to school, keep them away from hospital appointments etc..

toexpress

Biggins wrote: »

Yes, it is.
See: http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/social_welfare_payments_to_families_and_children/child_benefit.html

Yes but therefore that means his rate would be €188 not €310 the child benefit is paid on a monthly basis. I understand it's paid on the first Tuesday every month

Nothingbetter2d

gurramok wrote: »

Thats a very expensive 310 quid brekkie.

lobster ain't cheap mate

lividduck

Biggins wrote: »

* http://www.donegaldaily.com/2012/04/05/uproar-as-man-who-led-walking-protest-has-his-dole-cut/

---

A strange case.
I can see both sides of the argument but I'd (and many others it might seem) like to hear who it was exactly "Up-High" that ordered that he get slapped with this punishment!
Has someone political decided to try and pressurise him, to shut him up and/or try stop his political household protests (given his media success already, doing quite well) from continuing?

Something just don't smell right with this.
I suspect someone might want him silenced?

to qualify for the dole you must be available for and seeking work. if he decided to go on a protest march then he didn't qualify. Hardly a punishment!

Down with this sort of thing!

Nothingbetter2d

Biggins wrote: »

Yes, it is.
See: http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/social_welfare_payments_to_families_and_children/child_benefit.html



You have to be actively looking for a job.
Not just waiting for one to be handed to you - by post or while on a march.

who is to say he didnt have job applications sent in? u can't just sit at home all day while u wait for a reply from an employer which may or may not ever come.

so if he had applications sent into various employers technically he would be actively seeking employment.... its not his fault some employers dont send you a reply.

the government need to make it manditory that all prospective employers respond to applicants even if they are unsuccessful in their application, so that an unemployed person can take that copy to the social welfare office to proove he/she is indeed actively seeking employment..

ejmaztec

toexpress wrote: »

Yes but therefore that means his rate would be €188 not €310 the child benefit is paid on a monthly basis. I understand it's paid on the first Tuesday every month

It's nothing to do with child benefit. They get the basic dole plus additions for each dependant.

Biggins

toexpress wrote: »

Yes but therefore that means his rate would be €188 not €310 the child benefit is paid on a monthly basis. I understand it's paid on the first Tuesday every month

There is Childrens allowance and there is children's benefit.
One is monthly - one is weekly.
See also: http://www.welfare.ie/EN/Publications/sw19/Pages/sw19_sect4.aspx

toexpress

ejmaztec wrote: »

It's nothing to do with child benefit. They get the basic dole plus additions for each dependant.

Well what utter nonsense! Employers don't pay up more money because you have more children!

I tell you this social welfare thing has to stop if you can't get a job after 6 months there should be a 50% to welfare. All these people collecting social money seem to have more than enough to spend on drink and cigarettes let them do without those little luxuries!

I am heart sick of hearing these sob stories from people I really am they get it handed to them on a plate, at the expense of those of us who do work and then they moan because it's never good enough. Lazy gits one and all not one iota of sympathy

Biggins

Nothingbetter2d wrote: »

who is to say he didnt have job applications sent in? u can't just sit at home all day while u wait for a reply from an employer which may or may not ever come.

Very true - I'm assuming (could be wrong) that for the four days on his march, someone concluded that he wasn't applying for anything or even looking for anything during those four days.

I'm also assuming that if he can't be sitting at home all day, the dole officers and thus the government, does indeed want you out there searching for work.
Something not possible to do if your off on a four day march.

I'm just stating how they might see things.

fasttalkerchat

I don't see how he was unavailable for work. If he got a call saying he has a job with immediate start he could be there within 3 hours. Its not like he was in Spain for 2 weeks.

syklops

toexpress wrote: »

I thought the dole was €188 why did he get €310?

Dog biscuits, chicken feed, swamp tax, the fees go on and on.

toexpress

Biggins wrote: »

Very true - I'm assuming (could be wrong) that for the four days on his march, someone concluded that he wasn't applying for anything or even looking for anything during those four days.

I'm also assuming that if he can't be sitting at home all day, the dole officers and thus the government, does indeed want you out there searching for work.
Something not possible to do if your off on a four day march.

I'm just stating how they might see things.

It's not about applying for work on those days, they mean that he could not have worked those particular days as he was otherwise engaged, regardless of being paid or not it is deemed that he could not have taken up paid employment

Biggins

fasttalkerchat wrote: »

I don't see how he was unavailable for work. If he got a call saying he has a job with immediate start he could be there within 3 hours. Its not like he was in Spain for 2 weeks.

It not just if he was available but you ALSO have to be actively seeking work on a daily basis, if memory serves me right about the social welfare receiving conditions.
(Again, open to be wrong and someone will rightly correct me if wrong)

trooney

Biggins wrote: »

It not just if he was available but you ALSO have to be actively seeking work on a daily basis, if memory serves me right about the social welfare receiving conditions.

With the advent of mobile technology you can be actively seeking work from any geographical location in the country (once you have a signal). Do they deduct SW payments for when you are asleep (and not actively seeking work)?

DarkJager

toexpress wrote: »

Well what utter nonsense! Employers don't pay up more money because you have more children!

I tell you this social welfare thing has to stop if you can't get a job after 6 months there should be a 50% to welfare. All these people collecting social money seem to have more than enough to spend on drink and cigarettes let them do without those little luxuries!

I am heart sick of hearing these sob stories from people I really am they get it handed to them on a plate, at the expense of those of us who do work and then they moan because it's never good enough. Lazy gits one and all not one iota of sympathy

I'm sick of people like you and you're pseudo hard arse ideology on welfare recipients. Long term scroungers? Yes, by all means cut them off. Your tar brush is much bigger though. Have you been unemployed in the last 4 years? 6 months to find a job is probably the best expectation you can have.

As for them buying fags/drink (excluding scroungers) what is it of your ****ing business what they do with it? They paid taxes, are now out of work and are receiving the assistance they are entitled to. "Luxuries" as you call them can be the difference between hanging in there or hanging from a ****ing rope.

Biggins

trooney wrote: »

With the advent of mobile technology you can be actively seeking work from any geographical location in the country (once you have a signal). Do they deduct SW payments for when you are asleep (and not actively seeking work)?

You certainly have a valid point there.

toexpress

DarkJager wrote: »

I'm sick of people like you and you're pseudo hard arse ideology on welfare recipients. Long term scroungers? Yes, by all means cut them off. Your tar brush is much bigger though. Have you been unemployed in the last 4 years? 6 months to find a job is probably the best expectation you can have.

As for them buying fags/drink (excluding scroungers) what is it of your ****ing business what they do with it? They paid taxes, are now out of work and are receiving the assistance they are entitled to. "Luxuries" as you call them can be the difference between hanging in there or hanging from a ****ing rope.

Thankfully I can stand on my own two feet and set myself up in business.

If you have to draw the dole then money should not be spent on fags and drink. Tough and if if the strings on the purse have to a bit tighter then the Devil will drive you on to find something to do with yourself other than sitting round scratching your back side