T
Trust No One
Guest
Last May I had my supplementary wellfare allowance cancelled.
While I was out enjoying the sunshine, a Health Service Executive hit squad called to my home.
I had been in receipt of SWO for over two years, as I am unable to hold down a job due to back problems.
During this period I had two applications, for dissability benefit (including appeals) rejected by the Health Service Executive.
This is the same Health Service Executive, who have refused to treat my back problem.
I was sent by my GP to see an orthopedic surgeon in Dublin, who specialises in my particular problem. This surgeon decided not to rectify my condition, and basically denied me the opportunity to get back into gainfull employment. Without surgery my back condition will continue to worsen.
My GP has declared me unfit for work, so I am unable to avail of Job Seekers Allowance.
I was forced to go and see my Community Wellfare Officer, who asked me to submit weekly medical certs, to my local Social Wellfare Office. I duly complied and was paid Supplementary Wellfare Allowance every week.
As I mentioned earlier, I was out enjoying the sunshine (Would prefer to be working) when a HSE inspector called to my home, while I was out.
Shortly after this visit I received a letter stating my Supplementary Wellfare Allowance was to be suspended, (Pending an investigation) on the grounds they had called to my home, and they considered I no longer lived there.
After meeting with the Community Wellfare Officer,
I was asked to bring a years ESB bills, and a years bank statments. Firstly he turned his attention to my ESB bills, and questioned me as to why the bills were so low?
My response was, I had installed energy saving lightbulbs everywhere in my home(True) And that I didn't own a Television(True) And that I heated my home by Super-ser gas heater, and sometimes an open fire.(True) And I would cook quite a lot of my meals on the barbecue.(true) And I would also eat from the local Take-away, perhaps twice per week.(true)
I also asked him, why would I be paying rent at a property, if I lived at another address??? Dosen't make any sense does it???
He then turned his attention to my bank statments,
I was asked as to why I had made a lot of transactions, with my laser card outside my home town?
My response was, I could get better value for my Euro outside my small hometown. Diesel (nearly 10c per litre cheaper) Cheaper food (Tesco and Lidl) (True)
I also mentioned I would visit friends, in neighbouring towns.(True) I also told him in no uncertain terms, that as a free citizen, I am entitled to travel where I damm well please. I also told him the Health Service Exectuive, didn't (yet) have the power to curtail my civil liberty.(True)
Needless to say at this point, he informed me he would be recomending to his superiors, that I would have my supplementary wellfare allowance cancelled permanently.
About a month later I had an appeal hearing,
I tried to convey to the appeals officer, that as a single man I would lead a totally different lifestyle, to a married man my age.
I was also asked quite a lot of detailed questions, about my personal life. I told him I (did) have a girlfriend earlier that year, and that the relationship had ended, since she returned Latvia. He questioned me further on this, asking me did I ever live with this woman? I truthfully answered No! I live alone.
This rather conservative grey civil servant, was all the while marking some sort of scorecard.
My appeal was dissallowed/turned down.
At this point I decided to make a complaint, about the way I had been treated by the Health Service Excutive. To the Ombudsman.
In my submission I informed the Ombudsman, that as a result of my SWO being cancelled. I had been forced to seek help from the St Vincent De Paul, and had suffered a lot of hardship and depression as a result of having my only means of support withdrawn.
I also complained about them calling to my home, without contacting me beforehand to make an appointment. And I had answered all of their questions truthfully, and I had cooperated with their investigation.
So after a five month wait ( All without any wellfare payments)
It is my contention, that I have just become a victim of this Governments swingeing cutbacks. And this is nothing more than that.
The Ombudsmans Office turned down my complaint. The letter I received from the Ombudsman's Office, was from a member of their support staff. Obviously someone very junior indeed.
And so it would seem, not all of the citizens of Ireland enjoy the same protection under the law.
Apparently The HSE can do whatever they please, to a person who is in recipt of one of their payments.
I am at a loss as to what I can do next, Any advice would be appreciated.
While I was out enjoying the sunshine, a Health Service Executive hit squad called to my home.
I had been in receipt of SWO for over two years, as I am unable to hold down a job due to back problems.
During this period I had two applications, for dissability benefit (including appeals) rejected by the Health Service Executive.
This is the same Health Service Executive, who have refused to treat my back problem.
I was sent by my GP to see an orthopedic surgeon in Dublin, who specialises in my particular problem. This surgeon decided not to rectify my condition, and basically denied me the opportunity to get back into gainfull employment. Without surgery my back condition will continue to worsen.
My GP has declared me unfit for work, so I am unable to avail of Job Seekers Allowance.
I was forced to go and see my Community Wellfare Officer, who asked me to submit weekly medical certs, to my local Social Wellfare Office. I duly complied and was paid Supplementary Wellfare Allowance every week.
As I mentioned earlier, I was out enjoying the sunshine (Would prefer to be working) when a HSE inspector called to my home, while I was out.
Shortly after this visit I received a letter stating my Supplementary Wellfare Allowance was to be suspended, (Pending an investigation) on the grounds they had called to my home, and they considered I no longer lived there.
After meeting with the Community Wellfare Officer,
I was asked to bring a years ESB bills, and a years bank statments. Firstly he turned his attention to my ESB bills, and questioned me as to why the bills were so low?
My response was, I had installed energy saving lightbulbs everywhere in my home(True) And that I didn't own a Television(True) And that I heated my home by Super-ser gas heater, and sometimes an open fire.(True) And I would cook quite a lot of my meals on the barbecue.(true) And I would also eat from the local Take-away, perhaps twice per week.(true)
I also asked him, why would I be paying rent at a property, if I lived at another address??? Dosen't make any sense does it???
He then turned his attention to my bank statments,
I was asked as to why I had made a lot of transactions, with my laser card outside my home town?
My response was, I could get better value for my Euro outside my small hometown. Diesel (nearly 10c per litre cheaper) Cheaper food (Tesco and Lidl) (True)
I also mentioned I would visit friends, in neighbouring towns.(True) I also told him in no uncertain terms, that as a free citizen, I am entitled to travel where I damm well please. I also told him the Health Service Exectuive, didn't (yet) have the power to curtail my civil liberty.(True)
Needless to say at this point, he informed me he would be recomending to his superiors, that I would have my supplementary wellfare allowance cancelled permanently.
About a month later I had an appeal hearing,
I tried to convey to the appeals officer, that as a single man I would lead a totally different lifestyle, to a married man my age.
I was also asked quite a lot of detailed questions, about my personal life. I told him I (did) have a girlfriend earlier that year, and that the relationship had ended, since she returned Latvia. He questioned me further on this, asking me did I ever live with this woman? I truthfully answered No! I live alone.
This rather conservative grey civil servant, was all the while marking some sort of scorecard.
My appeal was dissallowed/turned down.
At this point I decided to make a complaint, about the way I had been treated by the Health Service Excutive. To the Ombudsman.
In my submission I informed the Ombudsman, that as a result of my SWO being cancelled. I had been forced to seek help from the St Vincent De Paul, and had suffered a lot of hardship and depression as a result of having my only means of support withdrawn.
I also complained about them calling to my home, without contacting me beforehand to make an appointment. And I had answered all of their questions truthfully, and I had cooperated with their investigation.
So after a five month wait ( All without any wellfare payments)
It is my contention, that I have just become a victim of this Governments swingeing cutbacks. And this is nothing more than that.
The Ombudsmans Office turned down my complaint. The letter I received from the Ombudsman's Office, was from a member of their support staff. Obviously someone very junior indeed.
And so it would seem, not all of the citizens of Ireland enjoy the same protection under the law.
Apparently The HSE can do whatever they please, to a person who is in recipt of one of their payments.
I am at a loss as to what I can do next, Any advice would be appreciated.