Benefits and Sky TV/plasma's etc

R

RMCF

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Sorry for this rant, but I was always under the belief that the Social Welfare system was meant to provide citizens with a basic level of income to help them fulfill daily living requirements.

Does this include Sky TV and big screen plasma's? (amongst other things).

I think if you are able to buy these on benefits, then the benefits system is paying you too much.
 
I understand what you are saying but have you considered that for some people on benefits at least the TV's were bought while they had jobs and they are tied into a contract with Sky which would cost them as much to get out of?

Just a thought!
 
I hear you, but I am talking more about those who are long term unemployed (or just plain lazy and don't want to work) who have said items.

I know several households who have full Sky TV package (not cheap) and had a big plasma quite a few years before me (2 wages coming in).

I guess there is an element of TV entertainment being more important to some people than others. I had a big bulky CRT TV right up until earlier this year, but I was doing other things with my money. I too have Sky, but at least I'm out paying taxes. I just think that luxuries should not be included in what you can afford to buy with benefits.
 
I completely agree with you about people who have never worked having luxury items.

When I was claiming JSB last year I got a snipey comment about " still having the big fancy TV" from someone, despite the fact it was bought and paid for a year earlier out of money we had saved up, so apologies for getting a bit defensive there
 
Well if you don't own a car which cost huge money to run, don't smoke and don't drink in pubs then why not spend your benefit money on a TV and TV subscription?

If your neighbours can't or won't work they need something to keep them sane and occupied.
It's that or join the local library I suppose
 

Why not spend your money on Sky/plasma? Thats my point, surely they shouldn't have the money to buy these things if they are on the dole! These things aren't cheap and if they can afford them on the dole then I say the dole is too high.

Oh, forgot to say, some of the people I have in mind also have cars, smoke and drink. Explain how they can afford all of these.
 
RMCF said:
Explain how they can afford all of these.
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How can expect me to know your neighbours in Donegal and their household budgets , I've never been there, it's a lawless place full of boy racers and people dodging VRT

Maybe they have nixers?
Realy you know your neighbours so you figure it out

It's likely it not just JSA/JSB they get, they are range of other welfare schemes too. Rent allowance, money to pay mortgage interest, disability allowance, carers allowance, family income supplement, lone parents allowance, medical card.
It's not just €196 per week, if you qualify for one scheme you many qualify for others

Edit: You ignored all of this, you focused on just one:

RMCF said:
I say the dole is too high.
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Well you ask me to figure it out, and my last line is the summation of my investigation !!
The dole is too high.

As for Donegal being a lawless place full of boy racers and VRT dodgers, well I can't argue with that! (although I recently paid VRT myself as I don't like ducking and diving down back roads and tiny lanes just to avoid the Customs men). I believe in paying my taxes.
 
I agree with the OP. I made similar points on the overseas aid thread - if someone on benefits can afford cigarettes, alcohol, sky/tv, holidays or a car, then they are receving too much money from the state. If you were in a greenfield situation setting up a new welfare system, the necessities are food, shelter, clothing, medical care and education - anything else is a luxury that may be provided when times are good but shouldn't be when times are bad when the state can't afford it.
 
If benefits are cut, we're going to spend the next few months listening to Fr. Sean Healy on the radio and "the poorest and most vulnerable in our society"

If every benefit was doubled we'ed still be hearing that phrase. When you use a phrase too often it loses all meaning.

Don't you remember when they cut the Christmas bonus around April and people were outraged? Scrooge was the call

8 months to plan ahead people. It's not like it was cut the week before Christmas. People had lots of notice, it was quiet well planned, take a bow Minister

You had to be on benefits for 15 months before you qualified too. I don't know if RMCF would call them long term unemployed.
 

Perhaps my main dig is at those who were unemployed when we had "full employment". The ones who don't want to work !!
 
My Oh has recently found himself in the unfortunate position of claiming Jobseekers Benefit.

He has had to go to the social welfare office on a number of occasions to sort out various issues (someone entered his address wrong on a computer, someone else told him the money would be there on a tuesday but then it wasnt and he should have been told friday etc....).

Last time he was there he was in a queue and the guy behind him in the queue was drinking a starbucks coffee and using an iphone to have a loud conversation where he stated that he 'had a bit of a head on him this morning cos he took a few yoks last night, but seeing as he had to get up to sign on for his wages, did yer man on the other end want to go for a few pints at lunchtime'.

The whole office could hear this conversation.
 
Perhaps my main dig is at those who were unemployed when we had "full employment". The ones who don't want to work !!
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Why?
These people are just taking advantage of the situation put in place by the government. If anyone, your 'main dig' should be towards the TDs of this country.

If someone was to offer me free money, I wouldn't turn my nose up at it either.
 
umop3p!sdn said:
Why?
These people are just taking advantage of the situation put in place by the government. If anyone, your 'main dig' should be towards the TDs of this country.

If someone was to offer me free money, I wouldn't turn my nose up at it either.
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True, but this thread is starting to go around on circles.

The benefits system should not, in my opinion, fund your nights out, your Sky TV, plasma, car etc, so I look forward to it being reduced come the Budget.
 
I think social welfare benefits should be reduced in upcoming budget but the problem is that there are different categories of people receiving benefits.
There are over 200,000 people that have lost their job in the past year that may have high costs like mortages/VHI etc. However, there are also a lot of people that never worked when there were jobs available and a combination of unemployment benefit/child benefit/rent allowance and medical card means they can get by fine.
 

totally agree, maybe they should look to see who has paid what taxes into the running of the country in recent years and pay them more benefits, and cut those of the laziest who haven't worked in ages?
 
TO get back to the core of the original point the OP was making, namely that some people seem to be able to spend their social welfare money on what he considers "luxuries". I understand where he is coming from, neighbours of my in laws are on disability benefit yet the wheelie bin seems to be jammed full of beer bottles every Monday morning.

Reality is that there seems to be a hard core in this country which seems to thrive quite well on the social and even when jobs were available, never seemed to rush out to get them.

It's interesting to see the approach being taken in the USA for example
[broken link removed]

What would be the reaction here if people on social welfare were required to cancel their Sky DDs or given a pre-paid debit card that could not be used to buy alcohol or withdraw cash?.

Sorry if that makes me sound like a Scrooge and I know it would perhaps affect those who genuinely do not want to be on welfare, but maybe it should be considered
 
Do you really want to be a citizen in a State where a bureaucrat tells someone how they may and may not spend their money ?

Why not then go the whole hog and have Ireland join the People's Republic of China as a Special Administrative Region ?
 
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