Welfare restrictions announced

[alz]

March 2, 2004

(19:44) The Minister for Social and Family Affairs, Mary Coughlan, has announced restrictions to protect the social welfare system.

The measures will restrict access to social assistance and child benefit payments for people who have little or no connection with Ireland.

In a statement the minister said a person must establish a degree of permanence to be considered habitually resident in the State.

The new conditions will require claimants to be habitually resident here or in the rest of the common travel area for two years continuously.

Ms Coughlan said the measures were to ensure that Ireland's social welfare system does not become overburdened.

http://www.rte.ie/news/2004/0302/welfare.html