Hypothetical Q.If you don't want to work

There are different capping levels for each county, and different limits depending on family size which may explain the different amounts.

For example, in Dublin, the maximum rent limit for a single person in non-shared accommodation is €130 per week, for a couple it's €200 per week and for a family with 2 children it's €276 per week.

The limits in Cork for the same examples are €115, €153 and €203.
 
that would explain the example I used, in that particular family there is a mother, 4 children and 1 grandchild.
 
RainyDay said:
Please advise how the medical card saves the cost of health insurance?
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If you have a medical card then there is not much point having health insurance as well.

"If you have a medical card, you are entitled to free GP (family doctor) services; prescribed drugs and medicines (with some exceptions); in-patient public hospital services; out-patient services; dental, optical and aural services; medical appliances; maternity and infant care services; and a maternity cash grant of 10.16 euro on the birth of each child. " - from citizensinformation.ie.

So if someone is weighing up the benefits of working full time on low pay and paying health insurance versus not working and applying for a medical card, this could be a factor in their calculations.

Like I said earlier, I don't think the medical card should be a blank cheque, but that is probably how some people are going to perceive it.
 
But most of these services are available (except the perscription drugs) with minimal charges for non-medical-card holders anyway. And most health insurance schemes don't cover the costs of perscription drugs. This is a red herring. I would be very surprised if there are many people within reach of qualifying for a medical card who have private health insurance anyway.
 
But most of these services are available (except the perscription drugs) with minimal charges for non-medical-card holders anyway.
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Minimal charges?
I can't afford most of this stuff because I'm a low paid director. For example, I've been putting off going to the dentist for a couple of years now (because I simply can't afford it)

I certainly wouldn't go to the doctor unless I'm at death's door.
 

My point was if you have a medical card you don't need to worry about health insurance because your medical bills will be approximately 0.

If you don't have a medical card, then you might think of getting insurance. Or as you point out, it might not be worth it.

Either way, Unemployment 1 Working 0.
 
You seem to have misunderstood the benefits of health insurance in Ireland. The benefits of health insurance is not about reducing bills. It is about getting access to consultants without getting stuck on a waiting list, and about getting a private room if/when you do go into hospital. The medical card does not help either of these problems.

The income limit for a married couple for a medical card is €298 per week, or approx €15k per annum. How many people with disposable income of €298 per week would be in a position to give even half-serious consideration to spending 10% of that income on private medical insurance.
 

That's the real issue. It's hard to blame a parent on the dole if they are better off financially than they would be if they were working. Add in the cost of childminder fees and it doesn't add up. Perhaps the state should address this in the amount of benefits they give so as to make working for a living a more viable option.
 
I suppose, Can you blame a person for taking what they are legally entitled to?

It's a weak system.
I think free childcare would be beneficial to the state in the long term.
 
Niallers said:
I suppose, Can you blame a person for taking what they are legally entitled too?

It's a weak system.
I think free childcare would be beneficial to the state in the long term.
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Here here. I'd love to see free childcare in Ireland. I don't have children by the way and don't plan to have any - I just feel that if both parents are encouraged to work by the government (a general vibe I get - apologies if this isn't actually the case) they should be offered free childcare as well.
 
 
madisona said:
Personally I think that the biggest spongers by far are the Landlords who take €500,000,000 a year from the state in rent allowance payments
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Why shouldnt a Landlord accept a SW cheque as rent?
Or am I misunderstanding your post?
 
no reason at all, but the landlord is accepting a payment from the exchequer. Many landlords receive about €9,000 a year per property in such payments. Now irrespective of the merits of the scheme, for a landlord who receives such welfare payments to moan and complain about people who receive unemployment assistance payments strikes me as hypocritical and mean spirited. N.B. rent allowance payments go indirectly from taxpayers to landlords. I've made this arguement before. but I think its valid.
 
Personally I think that the biggest spongers by far are the Landlords who take €500,000,000 a year from the state in rent allowance payments
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This is incorrect.

The tenant gets the payment, and pays it to the landlord as rent. There is no direct contract between the landlord and the social welfare. If anyone is 'sponging' it's the tenant.

The landlord is providing housing.

There is no restriction on who can can become a landlord, it's open to everyone. Although has become somewhat less accessible in recent years.
 

I agree - its not the landlords responsibility to monitor how the tenant earns the money to pay rent. The landlord is simply providing a service whereby housing is given in exchange for rent money.
 
The landlord gives a roof over the tennents head in return for rent.

They're giving something for something.That's not sponging
 
*
madisona said:
Personally I think that the biggest spongers by far are the Landlords who take €500,000,000 a year from the state in rent allowance payments

it really galls me to see these people playing the SW game and taking as much as they possibly can
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No group of people is homogeneous. Maybe some landlords dont maintain their properties as they should. However
What does the person who accused us of being spongers suggest we do ? Withdraw from the market *and watch society collapse without us ? Or perhaps give away all our worldly goods ? If we give it away then who to ? You ? If we give it away then who will pay the loans on our properties? I really dont get the point of that sponger remark. if you have a problem with capitalism then come out and say it or else please clarify your remark.



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Ok. sponger remark unfair and withdrawn.I was reacting to the the landlady who said that it galled her to see the unemployed getting social welfare.

However if people paid rent to landlords from their unemployment assistance\benefit there would be no issue. Supply and Demand would mean that landlords would have no choice but to accept what people could afford to pay.

However this is not the case. Rent Allowance cheques are only given to those who can prove that the full amount ends up in a Landlords pocket.
It is therefore a subsidy or welfare payment to landlords. The fact that landlords give something in exchange does not change this.

e.g. suppose the unemployed were told that they would get €10 a week Bread allowance. However the full amount had to be given to a baker in exchange for one loaf of bread and recepients had to show proof that this had occured. I would see this as a subsidy to bakers rather than the unemployed.
 
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