Madam, – The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development has suggested that dole payments be cut in order to encourage the unemployed back to work.
There are no jobs available so what are the 440,000 people on the live register supposed to do? Our last taoiseach is entitled to two pensions worth around €150,000 in total per year, our last minister for health is entitled to two pensions worth about €120,000 in total per year. But instead of targeting these former politicians and their double pensions, the OECD has decided to target the unemployed, to encourage them back to work, where none exists, suggesting a cut in their payments if they cannot find a non-existent job. We truly live in a bizarre Republic. – Yours, etc,