SF: Social Welfare offers Donegal man job in Malta
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27/03/2013 - 13:55:16
The Sinn Féin TD Pearse Doherty has called on Social Protection Minister Joan Burton to clarify if it is the policy of her department to seek low-paid jobs abroad for unemployed Irish people.
The Donegal deputy raised the issue after one of his constituents told him that the Social Welfare Department had written to him about a bus driver job in Malta, paying €250 per week.
The man is 60 years old and the letter, below, he received from the Department was signed off with the words, “Wishing you every success”.
Deputy Doherty has described the move as “outrageous” and has asked the Minister to comment on the matter.
The SF TD said: "They told him that in the first week he would have free rent then he would have to find his own accommodation.
"I think when you read the letter it talks about €250 a week which is well below what it would be in Ireland, indeed less than the minimum wage in Ireland.
“However, they go on in the letter to say that the climate is Mediterranean, so although you are only getting €250 a week, the department are promising a tan in the meantime.”
Labour market is EU-wide. FÁS/Solas/Intreo advertise this as such. Guy probably put down ‘bus driver’ as his profession and DSP are sending him suitable vacancies. They are to be applauded.
Agreed. If you look at Publicjobs.ie you’ll find jobs from all over Europe and beyond, as well as in Ireland. This particular job mightn’t have suited the applicant in question but it is probably their duty to at least make him aware of it.
You can possibly still transfer your social welfare payments to any EU country of your choosing if you are looking for a job.
I did it many many moons ago after being let go, how it worked then was you got your normal rate for the first 3 months and then you switched to the local rate of whatever country you found yourself in.
