EU mission chief proposes phasing out payments to long-term unemployed
The Irish National Organistion for the Unemployed has described as "utter rubbish" suggestions made by the European Commission mission chief to Ireland that the phasing out of social welfare payments for the long-term unemployed should be introduced.
Istvan Szekely is reported to be in discussions with the Social Protection Minister Joan Burton on ways to cut social welfare, as part of the EU/IMF bailout deal.
He told her those on long-term unemployment should have their dole payments gradually phased out as an incentive for them to return to work.
But the Head of Policy and Media at the INOU Brid O'Brien said what the unemployed need is job creation.
Ms O'Brien said: "There is no need to incentivise people. There are incentivisation discussions when there are no jobs and no job creation.
"We are talking about creating 20,000 jobs per year over the next couple of years. Redundancies alone are going to run at over 50,000, so they are not even creating enough jobs to stand still, let alone offer hope to people who are unemployed and offer hope to people leaving school or college."
