Is it time to increase the dole?

PutDownArtist

The economy is flying, public sector workers' pay is about to be hiked, optimism levels across the country are soaring.

So isn't it the right time for job seekers' rates to be duly hiked for the first time in nearly a decade?

Or at the very least restored to pre crisis levels?

Poll to follow.

davo2001

No! Why give certain people less of an incentive to go back to work?

TitianGerm

PutDownArtist wrote: »

The economy is flying, public sector workers' pay is about to be hiked, optimism levels across the country are soaring.

So isn't it the right time for job seekers' rates to be duly hiked for the first time in nearly a decade?

Or at the very least restored to pre crisis levels?

Poll to follow.

I would say no. The economy is turning around and more jobs will be created, now is the time to get people off welfare and help them establish a future for themselves without relying on the state.
Any money which was put to a welfare could be pumped into job creation.

Lollipops23

I think it could be a runner in a few years' time, but not yet.

PutDownArtist

emmetkenny wrote: »

I would say no. The economy is turning around and more jobs will be created, now is the time to get people off welfare and help them establish a future for themselves without relying on the state.
Any money which was put to a welfare could be pumped into job creation.

But the dole used to be 204 euros and now it's 188.

I think most would be in favour of at least restoring it to that level.

Chijj

PutDownArtist wrote: »

The economy is flying, public sector workers' pay is about to be hiked, optimism levels across the country are soaring.

So isn't it the right time for job seekers' rates to be duly hiked for the first time in nearly a decade?

Or at the very least restored to pre crisis levels?

Poll to follow.

No, why should taxes go to fund someone lifestyle above what is necessary for minimum survival, it should be about incentivising people to work.

I could see the argument for an increase in carers allowance or disability but not for a fully fit job seeker.

VinLieger

No its not, SW is one of things that has remained virtually unchanged the entire recession and with tax cuts pretty much a certainty in the next budget raising it makes no sense. Also we are now below 10% unemployment, realistically this can only go so low as at some stage we will get to a % of people who are simply going to want to stay on the dole so if anything we should be planning to lower it not raise it to force those who don't want to work off the dole and back into the workforce.

Triangla

The cost of living measured in the CPI has been decreasing so no.

http://www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/er/cpi/consumerpriceindexmarch2015/

the evasion_kid

emmetkenny wrote: »

I would say no. The economy is turning around and more jobs will be created, now is the time to get people off welfare and help them establish a future for themselves without relying on the state.
Any money which was put to a welfare could be pumped into job creation.

I dunno if it would make a difference I'd say the people on the dole have lost interest years ago

osarusan

I have grave doubts about the OP's sincerity in asking this question.

anncoates

Should be doubled at the very least.

Lenin Skynard

They do be havin' the sky tv and all Joe.

pmasterson95

Here comes the high class taxpayers to look down on everyone else.

VinLieger

pmasterson95 wrote: »

Here comes the high class taxpayers to look down on everyone else.

Not allowed have an opinion on the dole if you pay taxes? How democratic of you

blackbird 49

davo2001 wrote: »

No! Why give certain people less of an incentive to go back to work?

+1

SEPT 23 1989

It would be considered bad manners not to

CosmicSmash

PutDownArtist wrote: »

I think most would be in favour of at least restoring it to that level.

Maybe those claiming it would, I couldn't see anybody else giving a flying f**k.

Absolutely not, if anything it should be on a rolling reduction e.g up to first 12 months €188 a week, 12-18 months €160 a week. So on and so forth until it reaches a minimum level of say €80-€100 a week. Or better yet, pay it in vouchers:food, toys at Christmas, rent paid directly to the landlord, whatever but never cash directly.

Obviously exceptions for people with disabilities that prohibits them from working but if your able for work, you should be working.

Aint Eazy Being Cheezy

Yeah, jack it up to €500/week. It's only fair. If you were in a job long term you'd expect a pay rise, so why not on the dole?

PutDownArtist

CosmicSmash wrote: »

Maybe those claiming it would, I couldn't see anybody else giving a flying f**k.

I thought you were dead, Mrs. Thatcher?

You certainly would give a **** if you were laid off.

Zillah

The dole isn't about just keeping someone alive. It is about keeping them engaged in the economy, helping their family keep their current home instead of enduring the upheaval of having to move. It's a stop gap against anyone sliding down the socio-economic ladder, because once you or your children go down, it is very very hard to get back up it. I would prefer a professional hold out on the dole looking for another job in their chosen profession rather than giving up and working minimum wage elsewhere, because in that case the only person who benefits is the man who begrudges the millionth of a penny they were getting from his pay check.

So, if the exchequer can afford it, then yes.

AndyBoBandy

No.

I think it should be paid out in redeemable vouchers that can be used to pay;

rent/mortgage
utility bills
groceries (excluding alcohol & tobacco)
preferably Irish owned shops (maybe the vouchers work out better value in Irish shops?)

no more cash (or certainly very little anyway)

seamus

Year-on-year the cost of living in Ireland has dropped.

I see no reason to increase the dole.

Zillah

Sorry I mean "Bloody scroungers looking for a free lunch argh :mad::mad::mad: knackers something something I saw a poor person with a nice TV socialists"

pmasterson95

VinLieger wrote: »

Not allowed have an opinion on the dole if you pay taxes? How democratic of you

No. I just mean those who come in moaning about taxes funding crime or unemployment or whatever slurrys coming out of them.

twowheelsonly

No, it shouldn't.

There should be a reasonable gap between the lowest paid jobs and basic dole payments in order to incentivise people.
Why work a 35/40 hour week when you can get close to the same money for sitting at home?

'Stamps' should make up the shortfall for those unlucky enough to find themselves in short-term unemployment so their dole should be reasonable but for 'long term never worked a day in their lives' it should be a sliding scale downwards.

Gatling

If anything it should be reduced and kept permanently low to reduce over dependence on it .

draiochtanois

This post has been deleted.

BrokenArrows

The dole should only been enough to live on while looking for a job.
The only time it should be increased is when you cannot survive on it any more.

Increasing it so that people on the dole can be more comfortable is crazy.

Currently at 188 euro per week, that's the equilevent of someone on minimum wage working for 87 hours in a month.
The problem with a lot of people is they we themselves as too good for a job.

I'd like to see the numbers of people who are highly qualified and have been on the dole for long periods of time. How many of them are applying for minimum wage positions.

PutDownArtist

You can't have restoration of public service pay without doing the same to the dole.

It's unfair and illogical.

KwackerJack

Its the working class that need a rise!

The working class don't receive medical cards, fuel allowance or rent allowance!

The working class pay PRSI, USC and all associated cost with working!

timetogo

PutDownArtist wrote: »

You can't have restoration of public service pay without doing the same to the dole.

It's unfair and illogical.

Can you elaborate on that? How is public service pay linked to the dole?

VinLieger

PutDownArtist wrote: »

You can't have restoration of public service pay without doing the same to the dole.

It's unfair and illogical.

How is it unfair, one section is working the other isn't??????

The dole is not meant to be lived off of it is meant to sustain people through unemployment that is it, the notion it should be enough to maintain the average lifestyle for an extended period of time is just wrong

Magico Gonzalez

I would maybe throw an extra few quid a week at heroin addicts who had managed to stay clean for say, a year? Each year, extra few quid.

Anyone committing a serious crime (anything involving a weapon certainly) would lose the same amount.

Anyone living at home (with a threshold for parental earning), I'd take a few quid off them. I'd give that money back for qualifications earned in search of a job.

Basically a series of measures to target those who need it, and take it away from those who don't.

inforfun

If it is true that there are more jobs, dole should be lowered, not increased.

Go ahead, raise it a bit for those who are physically or mentally unable to work but those healthy enough to get of their arse should be encouraged to do so. And that is not by putting even more money in their hands.

CosmicSmash

PutDownArtist wrote: »

I thought you were dead, Mrs. Thatcher?

You certainly would give a **** if you were laid off.

Too many stayed unemployed through the boom years. If people lost their jobs and were genuinely looking for work I think there should something in place to help them. A flat increase would only put more money into pockets of those who have no intention of ever working.

PutDownArtist

PutDownArtist wrote: »

You can't have restoration of public service pay without doing the same to the dole.

It's unfair and illogical.

Why not? Despite what many peoples opinions are on public service workers, their still workers. A lot (not all) of private sector workers will have annual performance reviews linked to pay increases. Why shouldn't public sector workers be treated the same way?

Whereas people long term on the dole should be encourage to rejoin the workforce ASAP.

Magico Gonzalez

ps..I'd probably penalise smokers. Gonna cost the HSE a lot of money?

Dead on, we'll dock it from your dole.

PutDownArtist

Deleted User wrote: »

Why not? Despite what many peoples opinions are on public service workers, their still workers. A lot (not all) of private sector workers will have annual performance reviews linked to pay increases. Why shouldn't public sector workers be treated the same way?

Whereas people long term on the dole should be encourage to rejoin the workforce ASAP.

Many people view the public service as the Dole Plus.

Whether that's correct or not is debatable.

PutDownArtist

PutDownArtist wrote: »

Many people view the public service as the Dole Plus.

Whether that's correct or not is debatable.

So you can't give me a reason then?

PutDownArtist

Deleted User wrote: »

So you can't give me a reason then?

The simple reason is both sets are employees of the state.

griffdaddy

PutDownArtist wrote: »

You can't have restoration of public service pay without doing the same to the dole.

It's unfair and illogical.

This is one of the poorer attempts at trolling I've seen. Playing the old 'invisible hierarchy' card. Social welfare claimants at the bottom. Public service workers barely above them. At the top, you know it, the mighty private sector workers. The movers the shakers, the mother fcking decision makers. They keep the show on the road.

CIARAN_BOYLE

Raise it to pre crisis levels with a 10% per annum cut in the dole for each year you stay on it..

timetogo

PutDownArtist wrote: »

The simple reason is both sets are employees of the state.

Pretty sure you're just trolling now.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/employee?s=t

PutDownArtist

PutDownArtist wrote: »

The simple reason is both sets are employees of the state.

Still struggling? We'll leave it there so.

phasers

I wouldn't be opposed to a slight increase for under 25s, but the 188 rate is enough to be getting on with imo

Constant Curiosity

just out of interest how many of you commenting have been jobless? do you have a clue how hard is it to get back to work? i'm sure some of ye do but not the most!

PutDownArtist

antongavrikov wrote: »

just out of interest how many of you commenting have been jobless? do you have a clue how hard is it to get back to work? i'm sure some of ye do but not the most!

Most of them probably got jobs via family/friend connections.

It's how this country works.

timetogo

PutDownArtist wrote: »

Most of them probably got jobs via family/friend connections.

It's how this country works.

See if that's what you really think, you're not going to get a job.

It's not how this country works. I've had a fair few jobs and have been jobless (from December last year to March this year most recently). I've never gotten a job through family / friend connections.

MonkeyTennis

I have worked in a joe job

Worked in the public sector
Worked in the private sector
Been on the dole
Worked abroad

Hell, I'm the only person on the boards worth listening to.

twowheelsonly

Magico Gonzalez wrote: »

ps..I'd probably penalise smokers. Gonna cost the HSE a lot of money?

Dead on, we'll dock it from your dole.

What about non-smokers that cost the HSE a lot of money??

What about drinkers, people that eat to much, people that eat fatty foods, sports people that keep getting injured, damn drivers that crash more than once ?

It's a proven statistic that 100% of non smokers die.

Smokers probably die sooner but in their time they'll contribute more to the Tax coffers due to one of the highest tobacco taxes in the world.

How did this get mixed up in a dole thread!!