Ireland has worst record of social welfare payouts

IRELAND has consistently spent less than any other EU country on social welfare as a percentage of GDP over the past decade, according to a new study.

Official EU figures show that Ireland has the worst record of all 15 EU member states when it comes to the amount it spends on social welfare payments.

In 2000, such payments to the unemployed, sick, elderly, homeless and disabled in Ireland amounted to just 14.1% of GDP, almost half the EU average of 27.3%.