Blog Feeds

Public Inquiry
Interested in maladministration. Estd. 2005

offsite link RTEs Sarah McInerney ? Fianna Fail?supporter? Anthony

offsite link Joe Duffy is dishonest and untrustworthy Anthony

offsite link Robert Watt complaint: Time for decision by SIPO Anthony

offsite link RTE in breach of its own editorial principles Anthony

offsite link Waiting for SIPO Anthony

Public Inquiry >>

Human Rights in Ireland
Promoting Human Rights in Ireland

Human Rights in Ireland >>

Lockdown Skeptics

The Daily Sceptic

offsite link News Round-Up Thu Jul 31, 2025 00:51 | Richard Eldred
A summary of the most interesting stories in the past 24 hours that challenge the prevailing orthodoxy about the ?climate emergency?, public health ?crises? and the supposed moral defects of Western civilisation.
The post News Round-Up appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

offsite link Migration Adds 707,000 People to the Population of England and Wales in Just a YEAR ? The Second Lar... Wed Jul 30, 2025 19:00 | Richard Eldred
707,000 people have been added to the population of England and Wales in just one year ? 98% of them due to net migration ? making it the second-biggest rise in more than 75 years.
The post Migration Adds 707,000 People to the Population of England and Wales in Just a YEAR ? The Second Largest Jump Since 1945 appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

offsite link Masking Our Schoolchildren Was Child Abuse ? A Rare Chance to Stop It Returning Wed Jul 30, 2025 17:00 | Dr Gary Sidley
Thanks to the Declaration of Dumfries, parents now have a real shot at suing councils that unlawfully forced masks on their children ? and at making sure this form of child abuse never happens again, says Gary Sidley.
The post Masking Our Schoolchildren Was Child Abuse ? A Rare Chance to Stop It Returning appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

offsite link Rotherham Police Sexually Abused Us Too, Say Five Grooming Victims Wed Jul 30, 2025 15:00 | Richard Eldred
Just when you think the rape gang scandal can't get worse, five Rotherham victims say police officers abused them too ? claims currently being investigated by South Yorkshire Police itself, sparking fears of a whitewash.
The post Rotherham Police Sexually Abused Us Too, Say Five Grooming Victims appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

offsite link The Online Safety Act is a Censor?s Charter Wed Jul 30, 2025 13:00 | Andrew Doyle
We were assured by Conservative and Labour politicians that the Online Safety Act was designed to protect children. In the last few days, its real, more sinister purpose has become, writes Andrew Doyle.
The post The Online Safety Act is a Censor?s Charter appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

Lockdown Skeptics >>

Voltaire Network
Voltaire, international edition

offsite link Will intergovernmental institutions withstand the end of the "American Empire"?,... Sat Apr 05, 2025 07:15 | en

offsite link Voltaire, International Newsletter N?127 Sat Apr 05, 2025 06:38 | en

offsite link Disintegration of Western democracy begins in France Sat Apr 05, 2025 06:00 | en

offsite link Voltaire, International Newsletter N?126 Fri Mar 28, 2025 11:39 | en

offsite link The International Conference on Combating Anti-Semitism by Amichai Chikli and Na... Fri Mar 28, 2025 11:31 | en

Voltaire Network >>

A tale of two layers

category national | health / disability issues | other press author Monday September 02, 2013 06:29author by oldhackauthor email newsmediaman at nokiamail dot com Report this post to the editors

I have spent over 30 years working in journalism as a chief reporter and as news editor.

In May 2012 I suffered permanent damage to my eyesight following an assault. One year later, in May 2013, the Department of Social Protection awarded me a disability allowance on the basis of the hospital surgeon's medical report regarding my condition, backdated to the date of my injury in 2012.

16 months later and I am still waiting to receive any of the awarded disability allowance payments.

Some weeks ago I was sent a letter by the Disability allowance section requesting that I provide bank statements, which I duly did. As one of the statements I submitted was a printed on-line bank account statement, it was rejected by the allowance section as inadequate and I received a further demand to provide full bank statements. I obtained full bank statements and sent them off.

As one of the statements showed a number of small UK bank cheque deposits - none over €50, I received another letter telling me, not asking, that I was in receipt of a UK Dept. of Works pension and would I confirm such.

This is not the case and I had to again write to inform the Disability Allowance section that no, I did not have a pension, was in fact not entitled to one as I was no longer resident in the UK and was due a small private pension on turning 65, which would amount to less than €25 weekly. This information was fully provided when I applied for the allowance.

The cheque payments were from private individuals who had received IT and PC assistance from me. The total payments amounted to much, much less than the allowed earnings ceiling.

I am 63 years old and live alone in a small privately rented townhouse in Limerick City. When the rent and other utility bills have been paid, it is a losing struggle to manage on weekly food never mind other basic essentials. I am completely unable to afford any heating and bleakly look forward to the return of winter.

My local unemployment office informs me that my disability allowance has been 'cleared' but appears to be 'held up' due to the personal cheque payments into my bank. I have still not received any payments and must attend my doctor's surgery every week for a medical certificate - something I have now had to do since May 2012.

This is the Department of Social Protection ? ? ?
Whose ?

 #   Title   Author   Date 
   Orwellian language     fred    Mon Sep 02, 2013 11:47 


 
© 2001-2025 Independent Media Centre Ireland. Unless otherwise stated by the author, all content is free for non-commercial reuse, reprint, and rebroadcast, on the net and elsewhere. Opinions are those of the contributors and are not necessarily endorsed by Independent Media Centre Ireland. Disclaimer | Privacy