€850 dole a week+free legal aid

yrwhu8jxtni06a · 13-02-2011 12:10PM #1

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/man-with-56-convictions-on-euro44000-gets-legal-aid-2538080.html

A MAN with 56 previous convictions and at least €44,000 worth of annual social welfare benefits got free legal aid for his latest court case, drawing criticism of the system from the judge.
Judge Mary Fahy objected to "this free legal aid for people who are recidivists".
"If they had to pay the money out of their own pockets they might not be so quick to reoffend. I don't think this can last, the system will have to be overhauled," she said.
The exasperated judge was hearing a case against father-of-eight Kevin McDonagh, 38, of Knocknacarra, Galway at the District Court last Tuesday.
McDonagh has 56 previous convictions, eight of which were notched up in the last two years, including a firearms offence for which he served three months in 2008. He received a further seven-month jail sentence later that year for public order offences.
On this occasion he received a five-month prison sentence and a five-year ban for driving without insurance while he was already disqualified from driving.
The judge granted McDonagh's application for free legal aid, but remarked that he was receiving €850 a week in social welfare payments and was better off than most working people. McDonagh's €850 a week in benefits suggests a social welfare income of €44,000 annually.
Criminal legal aid claims have rocketed in number in recent years, from 36,423 granted in 2005 to 55,412 in 2010 -- a near 50 per cent rise.
The cost to the taxpayer has soared too, with barristers and solicitors pocketing €56.5m in 2010, up from €40.2m in 2005. Lawyers earned €60m, the highest amount ever from criminal legal aid, in 2009, even though the Government had imposed an 8 per cent fees cut.
A further 8 per cent was axed from fees in 2010, but, in spite of this 16 per cent total cut, earnings by legal eagles fell by only 7 per cent, and the number of legal aid claims fell only slightly.
Several solicitors earned well over €1m from legal aid up to 2009.
The Department of Justice says the rapid rise in costs and claims was due to the improved efficiency of the justice system resulting in more people appearing before the courts and applying for legal aid.

Aren't we a grand country!.

galwayrush · 13-02-2011 12:14PM

How much money we could save by using a few bullets.:mad:

56 convictions?? so much for the great 3 strikes and you're out.....

Dermighty · 13-02-2011 12:14PM

Aryanna Odd Mumps wrote: »

Aren't we a grand country!.

Yes, this never happens anywhere else and this isolated case is evidence of widespread abuse of the social welfare system and obviously everyone is on 44k a year because this system that Brian Cowen, Darth Vader, England and Hitler made has totally ****ed all the people who work hard and created this recession where there would have been none.

/sarcasm

Bullseye1 · 13-02-2011 12:15PM

And self employed people out of work are entitled to nothing. WOW. We really do reward to leeches in this country.

Penisland · 13-02-2011 12:17PM

Aryanna Odd Mumps wrote: »

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/man-with-56-convictions-on-euro44000-gets-legal-aid-2538080.html

Aren't we a grand country!.

Five years of college and I would be dead happy if I am on that much in the next 2-3 years! :eek:

Jet Black · 13-02-2011 12:19PM

galwayrush wrote: »

How much money we could save by using a few bullets.:mad:

Could just do it like china and make the criminals work to pay for the bullet, save even more money :cool:

Fremen · 13-02-2011 12:20PM

Jet Black wrote: »

Could just do it like china and make the criminals work to pay for the bullet, save even more money :cool:

Or just harvest their organs - make a ton of cash out of them that way.

whiteonion · 13-02-2011 12:21PM

Ireland as a society would benefit from this man being shot.
I see no reason why he should be allowed to live.

galwayrush · 13-02-2011 12:22PM

Jet Black wrote: »

Could just do it like china and make the criminals work to pay for the bullet, save even more money :cool:

It would help in organ donations as well, win win.:cool:

galwayrush · 13-02-2011 12:23PM

Fremen wrote: »

Or just harvest their organs - make a ton of cash out of them that way.

Beat me to it...:D

Snakeblood · 13-02-2011 12:23PM

whiteonion wrote: »

Ireland as a society would benefit from this man being shot.
I see no reason why he should be allowed to live.

Because we're not a nation of psychopaths?

danbohan · 13-02-2011 12:24PM

Dermighty wrote: »

Yes, this never happens anywhere else and this isolated case is evidence of widespread abuse of the social welfare system and obviously everyone is on 44k a year because this system that Brian Cowen, Darth Vader, England and Hitler made has totally ****ed all the people who work hard and created this recession where there would have been none.

/sarcasm

denying it does not make it go away , we are paying layabout criminals 44k+ per year , fjuking crazy country

galwayrush · 13-02-2011 12:24PM

Snakeblood wrote: »

Because we're not a nation of psychopaths?

Yeah, let's be nice to scumbags , because they have feelings.....:rolleyes::rolleyes:

Dermighty · 13-02-2011 12:25PM

danbohan wrote: »

denying it does not make it go away , we are paying layabout criminals 44k+ per year , fjuking crazy country

Every country is. We have so many other problems too. This one happened to make the paper.

We are paying the people running the country 10 times what that layabout criminal is getting....

Snakeblood · 13-02-2011 12:26PM

galwayrush wrote: »

Yeah, let's be nice to scumbags , because they have feelings.....:rolleyes::rolleyes:

Let's not read what people are saying and instead respond to what we imagine they are saying, then stick in some rolleyes so we can feel like we've made a point of some nature.

whiteonion · 13-02-2011 12:29PM

Snakeblood wrote: »

Because we're not a nation of psychopaths?

Why should he be allowed to live so that he can make life miserable for other people in his community? I suggest a rational solution to this problem. Being rational is not the same as being a psychopath.

GalwayKiefer · 13-02-2011 12:29PM

850 euro a week? I'd love to see a break-down of that figure.
Whats unemployment assistance these days - 210? Plus rent allowance - 65? How much does a person get per child?
I'm not disputing it, I'm just shocked at it and am trying to figure out how one person is receiving that much.

desaparecidos · 13-02-2011 12:31PM

He "earns" twice as much as me, and a good bit more than twice after I have paid taxes and contributed to the running of the country. He probably lines his pockets even more with illegal activities.

I'm so glad I spend money on 5 years of college to get an education, then I get a job and get to work for 65% of each day, then come home so tired I just watch **** on telly so I can go to bed, get up early and do it all again.

How people can have double figure previous convictions and continue to be given meaningless punishment and free legal aid is beyond me.

****ing dole scum.

Max Power1 · 13-02-2011 12:32PM

Snakeblood wrote: »

Let's not read what people are saying and instead respond to what we imagine they are saying, then stick in some rolleyes so we can feel like we've made a point of some nature.

Perhaps you are happy that taxpayers money is being wasted on this criminal scumbag?

Doublin · 13-02-2011 12:33PM

Criminal legal aid claims have rocketed in number in recent years, from 36,423 granted in 2005 to 55,412 in 2010 -- a near 50 per cent rise.
The cost to the taxpayer has soared too, with barristers and solicitors pocketing €56.5m in 2010, up from €40.2m in 2005. Lawyers earned €60m, the highest amount ever from criminal legal aid, in 2009, even though the Government had imposed an 8 per cent fees cut.
A further 8 per cent was axed from fees in 2010, but, in spite of this 16 per cent total cut, earnings by legal eagles fell by only 7 per cent, and the number of legal aid claims fell only slightly.
Several solicitors earned well over €1m from legal aid up to 2009.

That is a shocking amount.

Snakeblood · 13-02-2011 12:34PM

Max Power1 wrote: »

Perhaps you are happy that taxpayers money is being wasted on this criminal scumbag?

No. I'm not happy about lots of things but I am happy we dont have a death penalty decided by ignorant rabble.

J K · 13-02-2011 12:35PM

Dermighty wrote: »

Yes, this never happens anywhere else and this isolated case ..../sarcasm

Why would it be isolated ??

Is everyone else foregoing the benefits that are legally available to them?

If you had ever lived a day in the real world you would know the answer to that question.

tails_naf · 13-02-2011 12:36PM

Dermighty wrote: »

Every country is. We have so many other problems too. This one happened to make the paper.

We are paying the people running the country 10 times what that layabout criminal is getting....

What a warped view.
I've no problem paying people who work. Granted FF messed us up, but the job they do is at least difficult. No matter how misguided they are, if you pay peanuts, you get monkeys. At least the wage of a TD is good enough that it is attractive for a well educated, professional person to go for the job. Its up to the people to elect them, which I think is our major downfall..ok back on topic...

Paying govt 100x what this f**ker should be getting would be fine, because he should be getting close to nothing! Why do we condone his behaviour? No only allowing him to continue as he does, but paying him handsomely to do it too!

Where is his incentive to change his ways? No incentive = no change.

omahaid · 13-02-2011 12:36PM

I think this is brilliant. I've seen thread after thread pointing out our generous social welfare system and there are always the few that say "oh, you should try living on it" or "your figures are wrong" or even "links tbh :rolleyes:".

Well, here's your feckin proof. The social welfare system in this country is generous to the point of stupidity, and this case is proof.

Atlantic Dawn · 13-02-2011 12:40PM

He had to get free legal aid or he would have played the discrimination card.

phasers · 13-02-2011 12:40PM

holy crap, how is he getting that much?

genericguy · 13-02-2011 12:43PM

My favourite bit is that he got a longer prison sentence for driving without insurance than he did for a firearms offence.

Sunnyisland · 13-02-2011 12:44PM

I would love to see a breakdown of his payments as this payment seems ridiculous.

omahaid · 13-02-2011 12:45PM

realies wrote: »

I would love to see a breakdown of his payments as this payment seems ridiculous.

Do you think it is inaccurate?

galwayrush · 13-02-2011 12:45PM

phasers wrote: »

holy crap, how is he getting that much?

It's the system here. politicans and their cronies feck up the country , criminal scumbags do much the same in their own ways, and both get very well rewarded for their efforts or lack of effort. meanwhile, hard working honest people have to pay for it all and are expected to keep quiet accept it.

twinQuins · 13-02-2011 12:46PM

omahaid wrote: »

I think this is brilliant. I've seen thread after thread pointing out our generous social welfare system and there are always the few that say "oh, you should try living on it" or "your figures are wrong" or even "links tbh :rolleyes:".

Well, here's your feckin proof. The social welfare system in this country is generous to the point of stupidity, and this case is proof.

Of what? This is one instance, it's not as if every single person on the dole gets this.

Nice try, though.

€850 dole a week+free legal aid

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