Three months wait for Dublin 12 and D6W Social Welfare Payments a disgrace

Addressing over 100 supporters at the People Before Profit Alliance Local Election Rally  in the Iveagh Grounds on Friday 3rd April Pat Dunne described the three months wait for the processing of  Job Seekers Benefit (dole) a disgrace.”

If you live in either Dublin 12 or D6W and find yourself unemployed or on short time working you will have to endure a wait of over three months to have your claim processed” said Pat Dunne, People Before Profit Alliance.
Pat Dunne revealed details of correspondence he received from the Manager of the SWLO Bishop’s Square who stated “unfortunately due to the overwhelming numbers of new claims for Jobseeker’s Benefit there is currently a backlog at this office. Your claim will be processed and you will receive notification in due course” In follow up conversations with officials they confirmed to Pat that claims lodged back as far as mid January were still not processed.

Decent hard working people who as a result of the economic crisis and through no fault of their own find themselves unemployed or on a reduced working week are being asked to wait for over three months with no money. Contrasting this absolutely unfair treatment of people who had paid PRSI all their working lives with the speed in which Bankers and Developers were bailed out he slammed the Government as “uncaring”

Pat says he has collected evidence which suggests that the waiting time in the Dublin 12 and D6W areas are among the longest in the country. Neighbouring social welfare offices in Ballyfermot and Clondalkin are processing claims within four weeks and in places such as Maynooth and Mullingar the wait is down to weeks. Pat Dunne is campaigning to have this grossly unfair treatment of our local people here in Dublin 12 and D6W  rectified immediately.

The People Before Profit Alliance Election Rally was attended by five of its South Dublin Candidates Cllr.Joan Collins (Kimmage/Crumlin) Brid Smith (Ballyfermot/Drimnagh) Tina McVeigh (SWIC) Gino Kenny (Clondalkin) and Pat Dunne (Tallaght Central).

In their post Budget Press Conference Cllr.Joan Collins and Pat Dunne described the Budget Part 3 as “BANK ROBBERY OF PAYE AND THE POOR” their statement adds “The budget represents a bank robbery carried out on PAYE workers, the poor, the young and parents of small children. Its main purpose will be to prop up a failing bank system that has already cost the Irish people millions in scare resources. Of the €1.8 billion raised in taxes from the budget, €1.4 billion has come  from the PAYE sector. The budget also represents an attack on the poor. Despite claims that there  would be no cuts in social welfare, an effective cut of 2% has been imposed  through the withdrawal of the Christmas bonus. The halving of social welfare for under 20 year olds is a further indication of the discriminatory mindset of this government. We categorically reject the suggestion that the withdrawal of the Early Childhood Supplement is a progressive move. In the absence of funding for a comprehensive state pre-school system, this represents another vicious  cutback.”

Pat Dunne and his colleagues in the People Before Profit Alliance say they are receiving fantastic support from ordinary people many of whom are actively seeking a real change in how their future is shaped.

Keep up to day with Pat Dunne’s election campaign at:

www.dunnepat.wordpress.com or www.peoplebeforeprofit.ie/pat