Immigrants ‘marginalised’ and ‘punished’, says Church

THE CATHOLIC Church’s emigration service has backed demands to address deteriorating standards among social welfare deciding officers.

Crosscare’s Information officer Joe O’Brien said harsh regulations have marginalised people who immigrate here and punishing those who return home to live in Ireland.

He welcomed the comments of chief social welfare appeals officer Brian Flynn who in his annual report said some deciding officers were confusing their role with the welfare inspectorate.

Mr O’Brien said: “We see instances of social welfare payments being refused where it seems that the full circumstances of the individual were not taken into account.

“Many of the issues revolve around the habitual residence condition. We see returning Irish emigrants being refused payments because of this rule. Anecdotally, we hear that this is discouraging some people from returning to Ireland,” he said.

One of Crosscare’s clients Vincent Lavery was refused welfare payments despite efforts to meet with his deciding officer.

“It has been a personal nightmare both physically and mentally. I understand the need to guard over the taxpayers’ money, but what I have gone through nobody should be asked to undergo,” he said.

Mr O’Brien said the current system was restrictive and lacked clarity.

His comments came as the Department of Social and Family Affairs said it will address another problem highlighted in Mr Flynn’s report.

It is introducing a range of measures to correct a demand for those receiving the back-to-work rental supplement to keep their earnings below 1994 income limits.

The Appeal’s Board said it needed urgent attention because it the purpose of these initiatives was lost if people are worse off after they take up employment.

The appeal’s body raised the matter after hearing an appeal from a man whose income dropped significantly when he attempted to take up full-time employment.

The unnamed Latvian man was receiving full-time rent supplement before took a job working for the Irish Taxation Institute.

He was denied a back-to-work payment to help cover his rent even though his monthly household income was €344 — 30% less than what he was getting on social welfare. While training as an accountant technician, he only surpassed the 1994 threshold by €30.

The man told the hearing he could not continue to meet the needs of his family and was in arrears with his electricity bill.

The department, meanwhile, confirmed it was in the process of amending its rules so income limit was not a barrier for people wanting to return to work.

“A combination of measures provide an enhanced incentive for those in receipt of rent supplement with a long-term housing need to return to the workforce or take up a training opportunity,” a statement said.