FAQ about dole payments and collection

• How to sign for dole? Where to sign on for dole? Go to your local social welfare office. To find your local office click here. Read signing on guide here.
  

• What are the current payments for JB/JA? Personal rate at the moment is € 204.30

• Which documents needed for the dole? Your PPS Number, payslips, P60, P45, letter of redundancy, proof of address, proof of identity
  

• How and when to collect dole from post office? You should receive a letter stating your collection day and post office name.

• How many days do I have to collect the dole from post office? Usually it's 3 days. Confirm this with your post office clerk.

• How long is waiting time for dole? The waiting time is different for every office. I heard that it's much quicker than 3-4 months ago. Read my blog post about waiting times in Ireland.

• What to bring to post office to collect dole? What if I don't have a swipe card for dole? You will need to bring your swipe card (social services card) or a temporary signing card (yellow), which you can get in your social welfare centre.

• What do I need to bring when signing for the dole? Your PPS Card (swipe card).If it's your first time bring proof of identity and grab a letter you received in the post.

• What if I missed a weekly dole collection? It might be still in the post office. Go to post office and check.If not immediately go to social welfare centre. It will be reissued to you and might take longer.
  

• What is the phone number for Social Welfare Office? 1890 66 22 44 (Lo Call) (from within the Republic of Ireland) 9.30 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. Monday To Friday

• What is the website for Social Welfare? Go straight to www.welfare.ie

• If you have any problem email to info@welfare.ie

Hope you found this information about dole helpful.
Please remember that I'm not representing Social Welfare.

Pregnancy and Job Seekers Benefit

All ladies who are pregnant (even those who are heavily pregnant) are entitled to Job Seekers benefit (dole).

"Pregnancy is not an illness and in the absence of any complications of pregnancy or other illness, a pregnant woman (who may not be entitled to Maternity Benefit) satisfies the condition of being capable of work for the purpose of Jobseeker's Benefit throughout her pregnancy and in the period following the birth. She will also satisfy the availability condition unless there are other factors which could call her general availability for work into question. She must, however, continue to look for work throughout her pregnancy and in the period after the birth of her child in order to satisfy the condition of genuinely seeking work. On an administrative basis a woman will not normally be requested to prove that she is genuinely seeking work in the 4 weeks immediately before the expected date of birth of her child or in the 8 week period following the birth. She will not be required to attend at the Local Office for signing purpose during this period provided she tells the Local Office of her pregnancy."

Job vacancies are increasing

Today I read in the Metro that Premier recruitment group noticed a rise in job vacancies amount. Good news for job seekers! Let's hope it will be improving steadily!

Irish recession: Debate on whether immigrants should go home or not

Irish recession. Immigrants are blamed for stealing jobs from Irish people. Is it their fault? Look at the debate on whether immigrants should go home or not provided by RTE player - www.rte.ie/player/#v=1048194 Video kindly provided by RTE.

Fair and balanced, non-biased and impartial debate on immigration. The state
broadcaster at its very best. By E1RE

Few other articles available online:
Immigrants must go home
Should the 'Immigrants' leave?
No jobs in Ireland for immigrants

Small chance you will get a job in irish recession if you are a foreigner

You have a very small chance to get a job in Irish recession if you are a foreigner. I knew that! No need for this news. It's a fact.

Today Metro and Independent (Racism rife as Irish twice as likely to be given job) published very identical news about racism towards foreign people in Ireland.

The study showed:

• Irish applicants were called to interview 78 times while minority candidates were invited 38 times, giving a ratio of 2.05 -- Irish people were twice as likely to be called back.
• In the case of Irish versus African applicants only, the study found 18 Irish applicants were called back compared to just five applicants with African sounding names.
• When it came to Asian names, just seven were called back compared with 19 applicants with Irish names.
• Eighteen Irish names got a call back compared to three with German sounding names. From Independent
  

My very good friend with very unusual surname told me this fact few months ago. She lost job. Before the recession she would get many phone calls from recruitment agencies offering her various jobs. Now it's quiet. There is a tendency in the job market .... is to give jobs to relatives and acquaintances (even without proper degree or experience).

Many people want foreign people to leave, go away! When it was good times - we needed extra force. Now - go away! Ok but there is another question... If they leave and many of them left already...What is going to happen to property market??? Empty houses and apartments and poor landlords unable to pay off ridiculous mortgages.... Less children in creches/ school more people fired....

What is your opinion?

Shopping in Northern Ireland and saving well-earned money

So finally I went to do shopping to Northern Ireland and I'm very happy with that. We saved around staggering 188 Euros. Unbelievable!

1. B&Q garden shed - €357 instead of € 445 from B&Q Ireland/€ 50o from Argos
2. Hoover - € 89 instead of € 112 from Argos Ireland
3. Lawnmower - €57 instead of € 87 from Argos Ireland
4. Food from Asda Kilkeel - €62 euro - I would pay €100 for all this things in Ireland

There were few more things and definitely cheaper. Even paying for petrol we still saved around 188 Euro. Not bad for a day trip plus great savings.

I personally suggest to everyone to do the same thing - shop in Northern Ireland. Is it ethical? There is no answer to that? Should I shop in a rip-off land with terrible customer service???

Our goverment should reduce the VAT and then people will be buying and spending money here...

Unbelievable! Mortgage relief to be cut

Unbelievable! Everyday we are getting news about something cut or increased by government. We had increased levy, they cut early child benefit and now mortgage relief to be suspended for second-time buyers.
According to the Revenue, the move means mortgage interest relief will be suspended for 321,000 of the 562,000 people currently receiving the entitlement. Another blow to people's pockets!

Read news in details:

• 57,000 to lose mortgage interest relief
• Revenue clarification of the position regarding Mortgage Interest Relief