Jobs are key to tackling welfare dependence

One of the more controversial issues that the commentariat tends to focus on periodically is the relationship between social welfare and work.

A recent evidence- based report from the Citizens’ Information Board highlighted cases where somebody who decides to take a job is actually worse off financially due to the social welfare benefits that are lost.

It is a ludicrous notion that a decision to take a job actually makes somebody worse off financially. In the aftermath of the budget — and specifically the decision to reduce unemployment benefit for those under 25 years of age — the issue of the appropriate level of social welfare payments for the unemployed has come centre-stage again.