Regina Doherty: I couldn’t live on €198 welfare a week

The Social Protection Minister has said she would not be able to survive on her own department’s social welfare benefits.

Regina Doherty claimed there is an impression that those on jobseeker’s benefit and other state payments are “living the life of Reilly”, but said this is not the case.

At the launch of the Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed Working for Work book, she said people on benefits needed to be recognised.