Social welfare fraudsters should be ashamed

IN A RECENT letter, Michael Mernagh (Letters, August 20) makes a valid, but rather lame point about the detection of social welfare fraud.

He claims that the approximately €37 million saved this year through social welfare fraud detection is loose change compared to the money pumped into Irish banks in recent years.

This point is in one way true, but is also naïve. The savings are almost irrelevant in this case, it is the principle of welfare fraud that is completely disgraceful. Any Irish citizen that can watch the news or read the papers and see the dire situation we are in, and yet still engage in despicable acts of welfare fraud does not deserve to be called an Irishman or woman.

These people need to realise that this country owes them nothing. You will get what you are legally entitled to but, trying to receive more than that because you feel hard done by is an act of the bitter and unintelligent.

If the detection of welfare fraud saved one euro to each honest, hard-working taxpayer then I will always support it and campaign in its favour.

The people of this country who are working hard are taking hits in taxes and wages while the selfish and lazy fraudsters sit back and rake in the benefits. They should be downright ashamed.

Justin Kelly

Edenderry

Co Offaly