# Social Welfare

All time

# Looking for Work

Educated, broke and fed up: how Ireland's unemployed are struggling to get by

Unemployment rates may be dropping, but significant barriers still exist for those seeking work in Ireland.

37.1k

Oct 18th 2015, 9:30 PM

# budget 2016

People without jobs will get a €141 Christmas bonus

There will also be increases to the respite care grant and child benefit.

43.2k

147

Oct 13th 2015, 3:39 PM

# promises

People on the dole to see 50% increase in their Christmas bonus this year

The bonus is paid to long-term welfare claimants such as jobseekers, pensioners, carers, lone-parents and those with a disability.

40.2k

138

Sep 14th 2015, 9:31 AM

# benefits of the doubt

French woman gets €200/week disability allowance for controversial 'gadget allergy'

Marine Richard has a condition known as Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity.

21.3k

Aug 26th 2015, 8:16 PM

# Your Say

Poll: Do you think gardaí should be used to interview social welfare claimants?

One woman said it made her feel “like a criminal”.

25.0k

188

Aug 21st 2015, 8:12 AM

# Dole

Gardaí are being used to interview social welfare claimants

The move has been described as an “absolute disgrace” by one politician.

49.2k

144

Aug 21st 2015, 6:02 AM

# 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.

33.2k

Jul 21st 2015, 9:38 AM

# 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.

19.7k

Jul 16th 2015, 6:02 PM

# 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.

26.7k

Jul 15th 2015, 5:09 PM

# Courts

Social welfare fraudster caught by facial recognition software is jailed

The man has led a ‘sad life’ the court heard.

24.4k

Jul 8th 2015, 7:30 PM

# 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.

43.4k

259

Jul 3rd 2015, 4:24 PM

# 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.

26.2k

Jun 30th 2015, 8:39 PM

# 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.

20.0k

Jun 25th 2015, 1:20 PM

# parliamentary language

Joan slams social welfare fraudsters for 'giving two fingers to their neighbours'

Tens of millions of euro are overpaid each year.

25.8k

138

Jun 24th 2015, 8:30 PM

# 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.

22.2k

May 28th 2015, 1:19 PM

# 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’.

72.1k

166

Apr 24th 2015, 6:05 AM

# 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.

27.8k

153

Apr 17th 2015, 12:25 PM

# 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.

12.8k

Mar 27th 2015, 8:20 PM

# 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.

11.4k

Feb 7th 2015, 10:15 AM

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.

1.1k

Feb 2nd 2015, 8:00 AM

# kids and money

Some Leaving Cert students don't get Child Benefit - because of their age

This Senator thinks that should change.

48.6k

Jan 29th 2015, 6:30 AM

# Employment

People from which country got the most PPS numbers in Ireland last year?

That doesn’t include Ireland, of course.

25.9k

Jan 27th 2015, 4:00 PM

# jobs club

JobBridge interns used to teach jobseeker classes

An internal audit flagged that the practice was taking place at Jobs Club classes.

18.9k

Jan 18th 2015, 6:28 PM

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.”

37.8k

384

Jan 9th 2015, 8:00 PM

# drinks promo

There will be no Welfare Wednesday drinks tonight

Owner Gary Payne apologised for using the word ‘welfare’ in the promotion.

25.9k

Jan 7th 2015, 10:00 PM

# 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.

13.7k

Dec 22nd 2014, 7:15 AM

# Special Investigation Unit

Gardaí on hunt to find dole cheats

20 gardaí will begin investigating social welfare fraud across the country.

23.8k

Dec 9th 2014, 1:56 PM

# 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?

13.2k

Dec 6th 2014, 7:30 PM

# 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”.

16.7k

183

Dec 3rd 2014, 4:29 PM

# 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.

6.4k

Nov 26th 2014, 7:15 AM

# 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.

7.2k

Nov 25th 2014, 6:45 AM

# 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.

20.9k

Nov 17th 2014, 2:45 PM

# 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.

25.2k

109

Oct 23rd 2014, 7:03 PM

# 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.

21.0k

Oct 15th 2014, 10:46 AM

# No Cuts

Here's how social welfare will look after today

If you have kids or live alone, it’s some good news.

23.2k

Oct 14th 2014, 6:09 PM

# budget 2015

Child Benefit: €5 extra per child, per month for parents

Brendan Howlin sprung the surprise increase this afternoon.

20.9k

101

Oct 14th 2014, 6:00 PM

# 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.

25.5k

Oct 14th 2014, 4:57 PM

# Criminal Assets Bureau

Here's how much money was seized from criminals last year

CAB released its 2013 Annual Report today.

14.1k

Oct 8th 2014, 2:14 PM

# 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.

6.2k

Oct 8th 2014, 10:38 AM

# Social Welfare

Could the Christmas Bonus be restored in next month's Budget?

The Tánaiste wasn’t ruling it out when asked today.

25.6k

181

Sep 18th 2014, 6:00 PM