This morning.
Via The Irish Examiner:
The Irish Examiner spoke to a number of women who say that unannounced visits to their homes while on lone-parent payments made them feel “worthless”.
They claim that while on the single parent payment, they were told that if they entered a relationship they would lose the payment, and inspectors would come to their homes unannounced, searching each room, sometimes opening wardrobes looking for men’s clothes and questioning them about cars parked outside.
….One major concern about such inspections is that the inspectors almost always attend houses on their own and the women they visit are often unaware of their rights and vulnerable due to lack of income and support. The inspector’s report of the visit and living situation is sent to a presiding officer who oversees approval.
Tag Archives: Department Of Social Protection
An unemployed man explains to a Department of Social Protection deciding officer why he won’t sign up to privately-owned job schemes.
A surreptitiously-taped encounter apparently recorded at an Intreo job centre.
‘Snugnodge’ writes:
Final meeting with Intreo in job center with department of social protection and their deciding officer who are forcing citizens under duress or threat of zero income to sign contracts with private companies against their will..Make of it what you wish. Got cut off completely for nine weeks after meeting…
There you go now.
Previously: Jobpath Or Else
This morning.
At the headquarters of the Department of Social Protection in the Áras Mhic Dhiarmada building on Store Street, Dublin 1 – above Busáras.
Alan writes:
First time I’ve seen smoke come from this chimney. What are they burning?
Anyone?
The Irish Times obtained email correspondence between the Department of Social Protection and Irish Water, under a Freedom of Information request, which shows staff at the department opposed the transfer of PPS numbers to Irish Water.
The department voiced particular concern about the handing over of children’s PPS numbers.
Elaine Edwards, of the Irish Times, reports:
“Staff in the department questioned the data protection implications of handing over the PPS numbers and their obligations under data protection and official secrets legislation. Secretary general of the department, Niamh O’Donoghue, told staff the utility was to “get nothing” until it wrote to her formally, which it did not do until September 18th – several weeks after it started media advertising and sending out packs to householders.”
“As late as October, an internal department email following a meeting with Irish Water said the utility had given the issue “little thought, so this discussion will go on for a wee while”. It added: “We are making progress as you will see, but DSP objective is to protect its data, its reputation and minimise its commitment while being supportive to IW as directed in the Government decision (on water charges).”
Further to this, Kathy Sheridan, of the Irish Times, was on Today With Sean O’Rourke earlier, along with the other contributors Lorraine Dempsey, Chairperson of the Special Needs Parents Association and Paul Murphy, Anti Austerity Alliance TD for Dublin South West and Brian Hayes, Fine Gael MEP.
During their conversation, Ms Sheridan said:
“I give them [Department of Social Protection] credit for their first impulse was to protect this private data and it’s a sign, it’s yet another sign of what a fiasco Irish Water was from the word go. And this is where I’m totally at one with Paul [Murphy, TD] and the other marchers on Wednesday. If I had joined that March on Wednesday, it would have been to have had Irish Water burned into the ground, quite honestly. I think we do need to start again in some way that actually, as I say, treats us as grown-ups.”
“One of the interesting things that came out of the visit of the Detroit Water Brigade this year, this week, rather, to Dublin was one of its activists said that Detroit – privatisation has been banned in Detroit but one of the things that has come out of that is that half of the city’s department’s revenue, water revenue, goes to pay interest to private bondholders. And that’s something again, I didn’t know this could happen. And that’s because I’m peculiarly innumerate, I suppose, but apart from that, I think, Paul, this is where we need to be….”
All talk over each other and move on to talk about Áras Attracta.
Listen back in full here.
Social Protection staff opposed Irish Water bid for PPS numbers (Elaine Edwards, Irish Times)
Meanwhile, Irish Water protesters continue to protest in Stoneybatter, Dublin 7 this morning…
Pics via Jonny Pardoe
Ah.
MikeyFex writes:
“I got this letter from the Dept of Social Protection last night seeking payment of an outstanding debt. After initial confusion it dawned on me that I had remained on the dole for a week into my job that I started back in 2007, for, you know, food. A phone call to the Dept this morning confirmed that this was indeed the case and recent legislation passed means that many more can expect letters like this. It’s fair enough that I pay it back. It’s a little unfair that I’m charged for 2 weeks when they have me down for 8 days of overpayment. It’s also a little unfair that you’re to drop off the dole the day you start your job, in my case six weeks before I’d get my first payslip. Still, I always knew I was a big fish and in this small pond I would be caught eventually….”
Thanks Original Cynic (for header)
Alan writes:
“I have an appointment to receive a new Public Services Card. In section 2, it states I need to bring a “Property lease, Tenancy agreement or Receipt for payment of Household Charge”. I’m a home owner but haven’t paid the Household Charge and won’t be paying it. Is this another way of keeping tabs on the ordinary citizen?”
Anyone?
CIVIL servants snooped on personal data and recklessly passed it on to unknown callers — but they kept their jobs after pleading ignorance.
The Irish Independent has learnt that almost 100 employees in the Department of Social Protection accessed and passed on highly sensitive information, or snooped on their friends, colleagues and well-known personalities.
But despite thousands of records being improperly accessed over the past seven years, not one member of staff has been sacked for their conduct. This is despite them breaching both the Data Protection Act and the department’s own internal rules.
Ho.
Hum.
Snooping Civil servants Who Gave Out Personal Data Keep Their Jobs (Edel Kennedy, irish Independent)