Let me comment on your individual points, because you are misquoting what I said, putting words in my mouth and completely missing my point.
Social welfare has failed just as much as education, and before I'm branded as criticizing teachers, let me say it is a failure of the system and politicians; I believe teachers are merely trying to work with what they have.
I never said there were no barriers, in fact I pointed to the failure of the state run education system. But instead of fixing the problem the government employs more bureaucrats with an even bigger budget, that is exacerbating the problem even more.
You should start saving the moment you enter the workforce, or take out an insurance to provide for the bad times.
I never said this. What I said is that if you are in unskilled work, but want to earn more money, you need to upskill, simple as that. In addition, if you are unemployed, regardless of skill, and cannot find a job in your profession, you should look into learning other skills.
This is utter rubbish, if you have a family you should take the responsibility and make sure they are provided for in the worst case scenario, that's what life insurance is for. The moment I found out that my wife was pregnant I went to an insurance broker.
This is a failure of education, especially in disadvantaged areas. Making people dependent on welfare is a solution that has failed in every developed country. There are countless examples of educational "experiments" where even the most delinquent children in disadvantaged areas have thrived in small classes. You are not going to improve people's chances of economic success through welfare dependence.
Yes, unfortunately true, but again this is a failure of the state run education system.
I never said that anybody was lazy. I also didn't say that people don't understand savings. What I am saying is that people choose to not save, because there is no incentive. Young people should be made fully aware that when they enter the workforce they need to make sure they provide for a rainy day either through saving or insurance or both. Instead they know that there is social welfare and they need not worry about it.
As I have said this should be taught in schools, not at some later time when it is too late.
No, what has kept the poorest in society from getting out of poverty, is a failure of the education system, especially in disadvantaged areas, and the disincentives of the welfare system. Let's say you are on a lone parents allowance, and whatever other benefits you are entitled to. You only get the benefits if you do not work, so there is every incentive to not get a job and gradually, through experience, get better paying work. Even if you are single and on the dole, receiving €196 a week, there is no incentive to even take a minimum wage job paying €346 a week.
Social welfare has failed just as much as education, and before I'm branded as criticizing teachers, let me say it is a failure of the system and politicians; I believe teachers are merely trying to work with what they have.