General Irish politics discussion thread

Jobseekers BENEFIT is only paid to people who have sufficient PRSI contributions (a working history) and is only paid for a short period of time.

Jobseekers Allowance is not the same thing, so your link isn't really much use now, is it?

You could check these things before being a patronising eejit you know?

The bold part is relevant because AS I'VE REPEATEDLY SAID, my issue is with targeting the short term unemployed, who have paid into the system and have a working history.

I'll try again;

will see their Jobseeker’s Benefit cut by €90 under a plan quietly signed off by the Government after the Budget.

If the above said, 'will see their Jobseeker’s Allowance cut by €90', your link may have been useful, and I wouldn't have much of a problem with it.

A bit of light reading before your usual jumping in two footed to defend absolutely anything the government propose wouldn't go amiss.

My own anecdotal experience would be that most nurses I know who went abroad have returned, only one of the doctors I know has returned.

Lads I think it's important to say that nobody is going to assume that you're a SF supporter if you acknowledge the problems in the health system in this country.

No doubt that the best way of running a health system from a political standpoint is to remove the political element. In this country we have had a string of health ministers content on destroying the HSE, presumably so they can offload the patients to the private sector and if you don't have the money to pay then you'll be missed

In terms of SF, no point even discussing the idiotic suggestions from them. They are planning on taxing an entry level consultant so they have less take home pay, trying to claim thats what doctors want.

Which of the SF suggestions on health do you not like? For your benefit I'll post them underneath

https://www.sinnfein.ie/health

• Increase spending on healthcare by €3.3 billion to move from a failing, two tier health system to universal healthcare.
• Recruit 6,600 additional frontline health workers including nurses, midwives and consultants.
• Roll out free GP care and free prescriptions.
• End two-tier access to hospital care and deal with the trolley crisis.
• Invest an additional €15 million in the ambulance service.
• Prioritise disability services and mental health.
• Support older people by increasing home help hours, respite hours and providing additional nursing home beds.

All lies. The usual from you

How are they going to recruit staff that don't exist? Same applies for the care hours as it does for doctors and nurses.

Why did they not improve the failing HSC system in the North during their two terms as Minister for Health, or indeed the entire time they've been in Government there? Its falling to bits.

You've linked to the Citizens Information page for an entirely different payment, this seems to be the point you're missing. I know the similar names might be confusing, but Jobseekers Benefit and Jobseekers Allowance are not the same thing. I made a comment about Jobseekers Benefit you linked to an information page on Jobseekers Allowance.

If this was targeting those in receipt of Jobseekers Allowance, I wouldn't have much of an issue with it..

The alternative I propose is to f*ck off and leave someone who has been working and paying taxes for years alone for the few weeks or months it takes for them to find something new. If they need help, provide it. Focus on protecting your taxes that are being spent on the long term unemployed rather than someone who has a strong work history and has paid the PRSI to entitle them to that short term payment.

I wouldn't for a second say everything the government does is wrong, if I seem more critical of them than non-government parties, well thats the nature of the beast; they're in government and actually doing things. Some of those things are good, some could be better, some are absolutely sh*te.

I think there's a little of what Brussels Sprout said about your posting. You're seeing Shinners under the bed, buddy. To be clear so you can drop your anti-Shinner shield and we can actually discuss this reasonably, I'd vote for all three government parties as a higher preference than SF, my first preference will be SDs.

I'll reiterate, I have no issue with protecting the taxes we pay....I don't think going after short term unemployed people with a record of paying tax and PRSI is an effective way to protect those taxes. I think it is a bullsh*t soundbite that avoids addressing the actual problematic area.

Actually it's very relevant because you made a claim about their suggestions on health being idiotic. So I'm asking which suggestion(s) you find idiotic. For the 3rd time now…

You only get Jobseekers Benefit for 9 months. I think it's reasonable to allow somebody who has accrued enough credits to claim the full 9 months that time to find a job - why should they be engaging with the services immediately like?

It's a different story if you're long term out of work and are doing nothing about it.

People don't exist now?

You truly will lie about anything, not unusual for right wing supporters I guess

Excellent attempt at derailing a conversation. Are you over in the states campaigning for Trump next week, I'd say he could use your help?

SF in NI are run by a failed health minister who had a chance to fix the service and didn't.

SF have shown us they don't fix health or housing; both in NI and housing on DCC.