EU court rules Irish authorities wrong to refuse claim for social welfare by Romanian woman

Woman's application for disability allowance had been rejected on grounds she would place an unreasonable burden on the State’s social welfare system

Lawyers for the minister for social protection claimed the EU Citizenship Directive does not prevent EU member states from limiting access to social welfare payments.

The Irish authorities were wrong to refuse an application for disability allowance by a Romanian woman who moved to Ireland in 2017 to join her daughter on the grounds she would place an unreasonable burden on the State’s social welfare system, according to a preliminary finding by an EU court.

An opinion by an advocate general of the Court of Justice of the EU said the mother of an EU mobile worker can claim a social benefit under EU legislation without it calling into question her right of residence in a member state.