Report: Inishowen Independent
A LOCAL woman who is ‘up to her neck in debt’ says
she doesn’t know where to turn after being refused
financial assistance from Buncrana Social Welfare
office.
The woman is a returned immigrant, having worked as
a school teacher abroad for more than ten years. She
is university educated and holds a Masters Degree
and other post-graduate qualifications.
She claims that she applied for the dole, for the
first time in more than twenty years, on October 4
last when funding was pulled for an Inishowen
community post she had earlier secured.
Despite the fact that the woman, a local volunteer
and community worker, tendered scores of documents
to the Social Welfare Office in Buncrana she has
been unable to satisfy the Habitual Residence
Condition, proving that she lives here on a
full-time basis.
After being refused Basic Supplementary Welfare
Allowance payments while her claim is being
assessed, the woman, who is in her early forties,
now fears that she will be deemed ineligible for the
dole altogether.
“I have heard provisionally that I will be turned
down. I don’t know what to do. I owe months of rent
and other friends and family a lot of money. It’s
very frightening – every day there is a new bill and
I don’t have any money. This morning I used flour
and water to bake my own bread. It’s insane. Why is
this happening to me?,” she asked.
“I was so naive, I just presumed it would be a case
of going up to the Social Welfare Office and signing
on but I have been treated like a criminal. I am a
strong person and I fully intend to fight this but
other people aren’t so strong. Is it going to take
someone to jump off a bridge before this law
[Habitual Residency] is changed?” the woman added
asked.
Claiming that many other returned Inishowen
immigrants are facing the same difficulties, the
woman said she has provided clear proof that she
lives here permanently.
“They told me that to satisfy the Habitual Residence
Condition I must either own a home or prove that I
brought furniture with me when I returned to
Ireland. That is ridiculous because I have rented
all my life and don’t own any furniture. I have a
laptop and some clothes but that’s about it,” the
woman added.
“I have given them scores of documents to prove that
I live here in Inishowen but they won’t accept any
of them. I have handed in a letter from a local
community organisation I volunteer with, ESB and
other utility bills, a rent contract and bank
statements proving that I pay rent every week – all
to no avail,”
“I paid rent for my apartment in Buncrana throughout
the summer months and fully intend to stay here. I
have also requested that an inspector call out to
view my premises but that has not happened yet,” she
added.
When contacted yesterday, The Department of Social
Protection said it not comment on individual cases.
It said the requirement to be habitually resident in
Ireland was introduced as a qualifying condition for
certain social assistance schemes and child benefit
with effect from 1st May 2004.
The purpose of the Habitual Residence Condition, the
Department said, is to safeguard the social welfare
system from abuse by restricting access for people
who are not economically active and who have little
or no established connection with Ireland. |
