- No reason why Jobseekers payments shouldn’t continue to be paid into bank account
- Forcing people to make journey to collect payment “completely unnecessary” and “wasting money, time and polluting the environment” simply to “shame those out of work”
People Before Profit Social Protection spokesperson Paul Murphy TD TD has criticised the decision to stop making Jobseeker Allowance payments directly to people’s bank accounts. From this month on the government has reverted to making Jobseekers travel to the post office once a week to collect their payment.
Deputy Murphy criticised this decision saying:
“Why is the Minister forcing those looking for work to make an extra journey every week? It’s completely unnecessary. For those living in rural areas or further away from the post office this could mean an extra car journey, wasting money, time and polluting the environment for no good reason. It is ridiculous and demeaning. It seems to have more to do with trying to shame those out of work than anything else.
“Our Post Offices are very important, and they need support. They are crying out for investment and to be given more roles and responsibilities, and to be allowed to compete with the big banks for instance. That’s what the government should be doing, not wasting people’s time and energy with this pointless exercise.”
