Ireland has highest unemployment spend in Europe according to the European Commission’s statistics agency Eurostat.
The Department of Social Protection in Ireland says Eurostat figures partly down to relative proportion of unemployed. It found Ireland spends twice the European average on unemployment costs.
If there’s one thing that the welfare of Ireland goes to, it usually goes to unemployment. A lot of people there get welfare because they are unemployed. There’s a huge percentage from the GDP of this country that goes to welfare alone which makes it one of the countries that spend a lot on people’s welfare.
Social Protection said the figures reflected the complexity of unemployment-related expenditure and not just jobseekers’ allowance payments.
And according to the free encyclopedia Wikipedia unemployed people aged 18 and over in Ireland can apply for either the Jobseeker’s Allowance or the Jobseeker’s Benefit. Both are paid by the Department of Social Protection and are nicknamed “the dole”. Unemployment benefit in Ireland can be claimed indefinitely for as long as the individual remains unemployed. And payments can be increased if the unemployed has dependents.
Other benefits available to unemployed people, usually on a special or specific basis include: The Rent Supplement, the Mortgage Interest Supplement and the Fuel Allowance, among others. People on a low income are entitled to a Medical Card although this must be applied for separately from the Health Service Executive. This provides free health, optical, limited dental and aural care.
As well as subsidised prescription drugs carrying a per item charge to a maximum monthly contribution of per household. As opposed to subsidised services like non-medical-card holders.
To qualify for Jobseekers Allowance, claimants must have been legally in the state for two years or have lived abroad and are returning to Ireland after becoming unemployed or deported. While the Jobseekers Benefit is based on Social Insurance payments.
The unemployment rate in Ireland as of August 2016 stood at 8.3 per cent.