‘Returning Irish emigrants refused social welfare payments’

RETURNING Irish emigrants are being refused vital social welfare payments because of an “increasingly strict interpretation” of the residency requirements, FG social protection spokesman Michael Ring claimed.

Figures obtained by Mr Ring showed a significant increase in the number of Irish people being refused access to payments such as carer’s allowance over the past two years because of a failure to satisfy the habitual residency requirements.

The condition was introduced in 2004 to safeguard the system from abuse.