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Monday 20 March 2023 Dublin: 13°C

# Social Welfare

All time
# Dole
Gardaí are being used to interview social welfare claimants
The move has been described as an “absolute disgrace” by one politician.
# cash back please
Overpaid in social welfare payments? The government will seek you out
Guides have been launched to help people understand their rights when the department comes knocking for their money back.
# Red Tape
Partner of murdered man asked to produce news clipping to prove his death
Catherine Danaher was told she would need a a death certificate, memorial card, or newspaper clipping to prove her partner’s passing.
# Jailed
Romanian national falsely claimed social welfare 463 times
The 32-year-old stole at least €85,000 from the State, and has been jailed for three years.
# Courts
Social welfare fraudster caught by facial recognition software is jailed
The man has led a ‘sad life’ the court heard.
# No need for it
Fine Gael TD hits out at people 'stacking up their trolleys with drink'
Catherine Byrne said people in society have a responsibility to pay their way.
# lone parents
Mary Lou and Joan just had ANOTHER showdown in the Dáil
McDonald accused Burton of being “anti-women”, who in turn said Sinn Féin has no serious policies.
# flipping the bird
Mary Lou says Joan Burton is 'giving two fingers' to the public
The Tánaiste’s own comments came back to haunt her today.
# parliamentary language
Joan slams social welfare fraudsters for 'giving two fingers to their neighbours'
Tens of millions of euro are overpaid each year.
# Social Welfare Fraud
€96m could have been overspent in dole payments
Also, 62 cases of people “claiming multiple identities” cost taxpayers a LOT of money.
# unemployed help
Young man takes on social welfare for 'age discrimination' over reduced dole
By-election candidate Adrienne Wallace says there would be outrage if ‘women or black people had to accept a lower rate’.
# willie o'dole
TDs experience what it's like to struggle to make ends meet on social welfare
Willie O’Dea is one of four TDs taking part in TV3’s ‘Dáil on the Dole’ series.
# no change
Disappointment at "unusual" news that rent supplement limits won't be increased
The Department of Social Protection said that increasing them could lead to rental inflation.
# RISKY BUSINESS
'Opening a business is risky. It's time self-employed people had a safety net'
The Small Firms Association wants self-employed people to be allowed make voluntary contributions to PRSI.
Voices
Opinion: I never knew how easy it was to become homeless in Ireland until now
I never thought, in my wildest dreams, that a mere three weeks could change my life so drastically.
# kids and money
Some Leaving Cert students don't get Child Benefit - because of their age
This Senator thinks that should change.
# Employment
People from which country got the most PPS numbers in Ireland last year?
That doesn’t include Ireland, of course.
# jobs club
JobBridge interns used to teach jobseeker classes
An internal audit flagged that the practice was taking place at Jobs Club classes.
Voices
'Dear Joan: Today, I sat in a dole office and cried to a complete stranger through a glass partition'
An open letter to the Minister for Social Protection: “I left that office embarrassed, angry, degraded, and a shadow of the educated, confident woman I am meant to be.”
# drinks promo
There will be no Welfare Wednesday drinks tonight
Owner Gary Payne apologised for using the word ‘welfare’ in the promotion.
# Hang in there
Appealing a social welfare decision? Sit tight, it'll be a while
The average waiting time for a summary decision is seven months.
# Special Investigation Unit
Gardaí on hunt to find dole cheats
20 gardaí will begin investigating social welfare fraud across the country.
# Prime Numbers
Tayto crisps, Mary Lou McDonald, and U2: The week in numbers
Plus: How many homeowners are more than two years behind with their mortgage repayments?
# Cash Money
Joan Burton wants to increase the Christmas Bonus again next year
The Tánaiste is in a giving mood and says the partial restoration of the bonus this year is “a start”.
# Social Welfare
'If there were no carers, the cost to the government would bring the system down'
Carers are calling for the respite care grant to be reinstated in 2015.
# exceptional needs payments
Government funds to pay for funerals halved since 2011
A review of the guidelines for Exceptional Needs Payments was carried out in 2012.
# single parent
Woman awarded €5,000 for not being allowed to do JobBridge internship
She was excluded from joining the scheme because she was in receipt of a one-parent family benefit.
# Finance Bill
Water Charges relief on its way for those not on social welfare
The Finance Bill introduced today gives effect to measures introduced in Budget 2015.
# Castlebar
68-year-old man arrested in Mayo over substantial social welfare fraud
He’s expected to appear in court in the next few hours.
# No Cuts
Here's how social welfare will look after today
If you have kids or live alone, it’s some good news.
# budget 2015
Child Benefit: €5 extra per child, per month for parents
Brendan Howlin sprung the surprise increase this afternoon.
# Every Little Helps
People on the dole will get a Christmas present from the government this year
The Christmas Bonus will be reintroduced this year – one of two increases in the area of social welfare announced in today’s Budget.
# Criminal Assets Bureau
Here's how much money was seized from criminals last year
CAB released its 2013 Annual Report today.
# Christmas Bonus
Pensioners are now having to 'choose between food and fuel and medication'
Age Action says it would welcome the return of the Christmas Bonus in next week’s Budget.
# Social Welfare
Could the Christmas Bonus be restored in next month's Budget?
The Tánaiste wasn’t ruling it out when asked today.
# Construction
Here's how many construction workers are on the dole
Despite a recovery, nearly 80,000 workers remain unemployed.
# Social Welfare
Life on the dole - a dark and humorous diary
Tobias Kirkner arrived back to Ireland and thought it would be easy to ‘get on the dole’… he was wrong.
# Unemployment
JobBridge is 'absolutely not' used by employers to get cheap labour
The Junior Minister for Labour Activation said that any employers who abuse the system will be “taken off”.
# DSP
Over €200m worth of unclaimed social welfare payments in past three years
No, you can’t have them. There were all returned to the Department.