Unemployed Still Continuing To Survive, EU Warns Government

THE EU has warned today that unemployed people are continuing to survive here and urged the government to apply tighter controls on the Irish social welfare system.

The call in a European Commission report came as controversy continued over the amount of unemployed people ‘still breathing’ in Ireland.

The Commission says more needs to be done to eliminate the problem. It called on the Irish authorities to consider ‘all options’ going forward.

“In particular, harsher taxes on food and health care, a further tightening of social welfare benefits and general all round cull of pensioners would help annihilate the amount of claimants in the country,” it said.

“Targeting their essential needs is paramount.” it added.

Meanwhile, the government announced yesterday that the unemployed will now have to declare their children’s Confirmation and Communion money to both the Social Welfare and inland revenue departments, in a bid crack down on ‘comfort spending’.

“Parents should only use their child’s Communion money to pay for clothes needed for the Sacrament.” minister for social and family affairs Joan Burton suggested earlier today.

“The money made by the child on the day will be deducted from the parents weekly benefits from April 31st, and should not be used to buy pointless play things which have no use in today’s economic climate.”

Ms. Burton’s comments came following the governments decision this week to cut Communion and Confirmation clothes allowances to all non-immigrant’s living in Ireland.