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Migrants from the latest EU accession countries in Eastern Europe are over-represented among Jobseeker's Allowance and Jobseeker's Benefit recipients

'No over-representation' of migrants on welfare

A new report by the Economic and Social Research Institute has found that there is no evidence of a systematic over-representation of migrants in receipt of social welfare in Ireland.

News • 17 Jul 14

SVP said helping households to meet fuel and energy bills costs the society €11m a year

SVP calls for increased social welfare payments

The Society of St Vincent de Paul has called on the Government to increase social welfare payments by at least 3.25%.

News • 24 Jun 14

Those who live in jobless homes are more likely to have never worked or to be unskilled

Nearly 25% of Irish households are 'jobless'

Nearly a quarter of households in Ireland can be described as "jobless" compared with a European average of 11%.

News • 19 Jun 14

The Department of Social Protection has been carrying out data-matching with Government departments

Man in receipt of welfare had €400,000 on deposit

Around €10m has been recovered through new data-matching measures, among them a man who was in receipt of Jobseeker's Allowance found to have close to €400,000 on deposit with a financial institution.

News • 24 Apr 14

New report was commissioned by the Irish Postmasters’ Union

557 post offices could close if SW contract lost

A new report has found that if An Post loses the Government social welfare contract, up to 557 post offices around the country could close down.

Business • 19 Feb 14

EU says new measures will have a positive effect on growth and jobs in France

Hollande measures 'right direction' for France

Measures announced by the French President to cut public spending and business costs go "in the right direction" and will help the economy, the European Commission said.

Business • 15 Jan 14

The Social Welfare and Pensions Bill will go before the Seanad next week

Dáil passes Social Welfare and Pensions Bill

The Dáil has passed the Social Welfare and Pensions Bill after 77 TDs voted for the cuts and changes in the bill while 46 opposed it.

News • 25 Oct 13

Joan Burton has predicted no cuts to weekly social welfare payments or State Pension in the Budget

Burton confident of resisting Budget cuts

Minister for Social Protection Joan Burton has indicated there will be no cuts in weekly social welfare payments in next month's Budget.

News • 27 Sep 13

Brian Hayes said the Government should surpass the deficit reduction target

Two Fine Gael junior ministers differ on Budget

A month ahead of Budget 2014, two Fine Gael junior ministers have expressed diverging views on the adjustment needed for next year.

News • 15 Sep 13

Joan Burton said the Budget had to sustain the economy rather than deflate it

Burton cautions against cutting welfare budget

Minister for Social Protection Joan Burton has said that taking €440m out of the social welfare spend in the Budget would deflate areas of the economy that rely on people spending.

News • 24 Jul 13

About 8,300 people were committed to prison for the non-payment of fines last year

Unpaid court fines cannot be deducted from welfare

The Department of Justice has said that administration costs and payment limits mean it is not possible to deduct unpaid court fines from social welfare benefits.

News • 22 Jul 13

Joan Burton said those who fail to engage with the process would face cuts in their payments

Payments cut to 1,400 social welfare recipients

More than 1,400 people have had their social welfare payments reduced in the first six months of this year for failing to engage with the Department of Social Protection on back to work initiatives.

News • 19 Jul 13

Around 32,700 people will not receive their payment until 8am tomorrow

Electronic social welfare payments face delay

Social welfare payments which are made by electronic fund transfer directly to people's accounts will be delayed by one day due to a "once off processing issue".

News • 16 Jul 13

Last year 2m applications for social welfare schemes and services were processed

€3.8bn paid to jobseekers in 2012

The Department of Social Protection has said provisional figures for 2012 show the amount spent on jobseekers' payments was €3.8bn.

News • 06 Jun 13

Youth unemployment in the EU stands at nearly one in four

French, Germany, Italy want youth jobs plan

German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble warned today that failure to win the battle against youth unemployment could tear Europe apart.

Business • 28 May 13

Pearse Doherty said it took 31 weeks for Child Benefit claims to be processed

Sinn Féin criticises social welfare processing

Sinn Féin finance spokesman Pearse Doherty has described as unacceptable the length of time people have to wait for their applications for social welfare payments and appeals to be processed.

News • 03 May 13

India has 440 million people living below the poverty line

India to give money directly to poor

India will send billions of dollars in social welfare money directly to its poor under a new programme, which began today.

News • 01 Jan 13

Social Welfare Bill passes Seanad committee stage

The Government has won a key vote on the Social Welfare Bill in the Seanad by just three votes.

News • 19 Dec 12

Social Welfare Bill carried by Seanad

The Second stage of the Social Welfare Bill has been carried by the Seanad by a comfortable majority.

News • 19 Dec 12

Kenny says no changes to Programme for Government

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has said that the Programme for Government will not be renegotiated, despite any difficulties the Labour Party may be having over the Budget.

News • 18 Dec 12

Labour Party whip Emmet Stagg said Mr Keaveney should 'quit forthwith' because his position was no longer tenable.

Row over Keaveney's future as Labour chairman

A row has erupted within the Labour parliamentary party on Colm Keaveney's future as party chairman.

News • 14 Dec 12

Carers protested outside the Dáil this morning

Labour TD Colm Keaveney votes against welfare bill

Labour Chairman and TD Colm Keaveney is to be expelled from the parliamentary party after voting against the Social Welfare Bill.

News • 14 Dec 12

Enda Kenny says it is time for courage and conviction

Tánaiste dismisses calls for Budget rowbacks

Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore has dismissed any suggestion of rolling back on any of the cuts announced in the Budget.

News • 07 Dec 12

Government finalising Budget 2013 details

Work on finalising Budget 2013 will continue over the next two days, following agreement at the weekend between the Coalition parties on the main details.

News • 04 Dec 12

Joan Burton said that coalition discussions on the Budget were intense

Government denies divisions over Budget

Government ministers have denied that there are any divisions between the coalition parties as they finalise the details of Budget 2013.

News • 03 Dec 12