Polish waitress packs in job for 'good life' on Irish welfare
A POLISH waitress living here has sparked fury after she boasted about living the good life on Irish welfare benefits. 'Magda' (36), not her real name, described her life on the dole in Donegal as a 'Hawaiian massage'.
She revealed how she had packed in her job so she could spend her days walking along beaches with her partner.
He in turn bragged about the county's wonderful golf courses.
Magda claimed she earned €67 more a week on the dole than she did while working and that her welfare payments are €182 more every week than back in her native Poland.
The shocking boasts in a Polish newspaper have ignited another debate on welfare tourism, with one Labour senator last night offering to pay for her flight home.
The ex-waitress told the Polish newspaper 'Gazeta Wyborcza' that instead of working she takes advantage of free education courses and goes surfing.
"How do I live? Wonderfully. I get an allowance of €188 a week plus €59 for the flat. In the winter I get an extra €20 for fuel. It's €267 a week," she said.
Magda doesn't identify the town in Co Donegal where she lives but she does call it a "s***hole".
Asked to describe her lifestyle, she went on: "The day starts in the same way. I go to the beach to watch the sunrise. It energises me for the rest for the day.
"Sometimes I sleep till noon and the nearest beach is five minutes away.
"What's our house like? Well, you can hear the ocean from the windows," she added.
Her partner Robert also bragged about life on the dole in Ireland, saying: "I won't get out of bed for €8 an hour especially when I have the sound of the ocean, golf courses and beautiful scenery."
Welfare
The Polish newspaper article compares Madga's life on benefits with what she would earn working as a waitress in Poland, where the average weekly wage is just €85.
Dole payments in Poland are less than in Ireland, averaging just €36.50 a week.
There is no housing benefit and there are strict time limits on social welfare payments.
Welfare claimants can only claim for three months if they quit a job and six months if they are fired, said the report.
Instead of working Madga said she spent her time at a local surf school and learned how to do sign language at the local VEC college.
She also noted the 'generous' winter fuel payments of €20 a week which compared with no such payments in Poland, where temperatures yesterday dipped to -13C.
Last night a Labour senator based in Donegal said the claims were 'outrageous'.
Senator Jimmy Harte told the Irish Independent: "This woman is doing an enormous disservice to the Polish community in Co Donegal and to other hard-working non-nationals.
"She has clearly taken advantage of Irish hospitality. I would like to see her go back to Poland and if we can find out who she is, I'd gladly pay for her flight home."
He added: "Apart from her clear intent to take advantage of our social welfare system, to describe her home as a s***hole just adds insult to injury."
http://www.independent.ie/national-news/polish-waitress-packs-in-job-for-good-life-on-irish-welfare-3005781.html
Quote"She has clearly taken advantage of Irish hospitality. I would like to see her go back to Poland and if we can find out who she is, I'd gladly pay for her flight home."
that sort of sums it up does it not :D
Quote from: Ash Smoker on February 01, 2012, 09:26:17 AM
Magda doesn't identify the town in Co Donegal where she lives but she does call it a "s***hole".
From the proximity to the sea and the VEC courses I'd say she's holed up in Gortahork somewhere -- the pitchforks could be out tonight! :D
Quote from: Fear ón Srath Bán on February 01, 2012, 10:57:37 AM
Quote from: Ash Smoker on February 01, 2012, 09:26:17 AM
Magda doesn't identify the town in Co Donegal where she lives but she does call it a "s***hole".
From the proximity to the sea and the VEC courses I'd say she's holed up in Gortahork somewhere -- the pitchforks could be out tonight! :D
I was thinking Bundoran myself...moreso the s'hole comment and the surfing though.
If Poland was so great, why did she not stay in her own native S******E?
Quote from: playwiththewind1st on February 01, 2012, 11:16:39 AM
If Poland was so great, why did she not stay in her own native S******E?
You seem to have missed the whole point of the article.
According to the John Murray programme this morning, the article in the Indo is a travesty of what was in the Polish paper it was "taken" from. (What a surprise.) Misquotes, invented quotes and quotes taken out of context.
The article was one of a series looking at the social welfare systems of various European countries. Apparently the woman is doing a FÁS course, with a view to starting her own business.
According to a Polish guy on the programme (an RTÉ researcher, I think), the "Hawaiian massage" reference is made up - doesn't appear in the original article. The beach reference was to contrast her current life with her early days of unemployment when she had nothing to get up for. Now, she is energised and motivated by the training course to get up early and go to the beach. Also, he maintains she says she loves Donegal and has nothing negative to say about it.
Yer man said he'd translate the full article and post it on the show's web page.
Sounds like the yellow journalism we expect from the Indo, except more sinister given that it increases the probability of some Polish person getting a glass in his face this weekend.
It's a heavily negatively loaded article, rather typical of the sensationalist reactionary edge of that particular organ's reportage: "she boasted"... "He in turn bragged "... "The shocking boasts"... "Her partner Robert also bragged"...
Then that Labour councillor goes and makes an ass of himself: "...and to other hard-working non-nationals."
So they're from nowhere, nowhere at all, these other overseas visitors!
One day when I was in a chip shop in a border town / city, I met a boy I used to teach. He told me he was living in Dundalk and signing on the dole.
"Why", says he, "should you sign on in the north, when you can sign on in the south?"
This is the problem when you open the floodgates, all is grand when there is loads of work to go around like 5 or 6 years ago but the shit is hitting the fan now. If an open Europe is demanded then all states within it should offer the same amounts in benifits or else close the doors.
Quote from: Hardy on February 01, 2012, 11:27:04 AM
According to the John Murray programme this morning, the article in the Indo is a travesty of what was in the Polish paper it was "taken" from. (What a surprise.) Misquotes, invented quotes and quotes taken out of context.
The article was one of a series looking at the social welfare systems of various European countries. Apparently the woman is doing a FÁS course, with a view to starting her own business.
According to a Polish guy on the programme (an RTÉ researcher, I think), the "Hawaiian massage" reference is made up - doesn't appear in the original article. The beach reference was to contrast her current life with her early days of unemployment when she had nothing to get up for. Now, she is energised and motivated by the training course to get up early and go to the beach. Also, he maintains she says she loves Donegal and has nothing negative to say about it.
Yer man said he'd translate the full article and post it on the show's web page.
Sounds like the yellow journalism we expect from the Indo, except more sinister given that it increases the probability of some Polish person getting a glass in his face this weekend.
+1. Anyone who takes this article at face value is a fool.
Quote from: deiseach on February 01, 2012, 12:26:28 PM
Quote from: Hardy on February 01, 2012, 11:27:04 AM
According to the John Murray programme this morning, the article in the Indo is a travesty of what was in the Polish paper it was "taken" from. (What a surprise.) Misquotes, invented quotes and quotes taken out of context.
The article was one of a series looking at the social welfare systems of various European countries. Apparently the woman is doing a FÁS course, with a view to starting her own business.
According to a Polish guy on the programme (an RTÉ researcher, I think), the "Hawaiian massage" reference is made up - doesn't appear in the original article. The beach reference was to contrast her current life with her early days of unemployment when she had nothing to get up for. Now, she is energised and motivated by the training course to get up early and go to the beach. Also, he maintains she says she loves Donegal and has nothing negative to say about it.
Yer man said he'd translate the full article and post it on the show's web page.
Sounds like the yellow journalism we expect from the Indo, except more sinister given that it increases the probability of some Polish person getting a glass in his face this weekend.
+1. Anyone who takes this article at face value is a fool.
^
^
;)
Quote from: Geoff Tipps on February 01, 2012, 11:22:22 AM
Quote from: playwiththewind1st on February 01, 2012, 11:16:39 AM
If Poland was so great, why did she not stay in her own native S******E?
You seem to have missed the whole point of the article.
Thanks for that, I'll not attempt my brand of "sarcasm" again. I'll take a wild guess & try to work it out - Poland is a shithole, but Ireland's a shithole where you can get more money for sitting on your lazy hole, doing nothing? When can I pick up my degree in either Economics or the politics of the EU?
Just another shit stir from a repugnant rag. Comment on it from Reddit that sets out to compare the indo's translation with the actual translation:
QuoteFrom the Indo:
'Magda' (36), not her real name, described her life on the dole in Donegal as a 'Hawaiian massage'.
Original Article (badly translated)
Magda is doing a basic massage, Hawaiian and hot stone, which she learned at the free course of office work: hot stones moves on the back, until they go down all the tension.
Indo
Magda doesn't identify the town in Co Donegal where she lives but she does call it a "s***hole".
Original
Donegal, a county on the northern tip of Ireland, but for some the most beautiful place in the world, for others - the biggest shithole. Wherever you look carefully, green hills and beaches to the horizon, like a postcard.
Indo
Sometimes I sleep till noon and the nearest beach is five minutes away
Original
Day start is always the same: go to the beach to see the sunrise. It charges me for the rest of the day. Once, I slept until noon, now pity that life.
Indo
Apart from her clear intent to take advantage of our social welfare system, to describe her home as a s***hole just adds insult to injury
Original
Do I have a problem with the fact that I am on benefit? Wonders. Yes. I do not want to live at the expense of the state, so I treat it as a support that will allow me to set up their own business. In the afternoon we go for coffee for 3 euros. The same can drink at home, but the point is - explains Magda - to support local businesses.
Indo
He in turn bragged about the county's wonderful golf courses.
**This last one confused me as I could not find any reference in the original article to the guy playing golf. Notice this though, it does not actually say he plays golf. Just that he is "bragging" about the golf courses. This is an interesting line as it creates a false illusion in your mind. He says in the original article that donegal has nice scenery and good beaches and golf courses - is this 'bragging' or stating a fact?
http://www.reddit.com/r/ireland/comments/p6028/polish_waitress_packs_in_job_for_good_life_on/c3msb3a
The Hawaiian massage one is particularly brutal. Goes beyond shoddy journalism. Feel sorry for 'Magda' - actually transpires that she looking to start a business here with FAS
What a joke.
What a horrible horrible act of deceit by that disgusting rag. My folks read it at home. Think I'll have a word with them.
It's bad enough reading it for free online, but to pay for the privilege to read nasty lies, that old trick of targeting immigrants when times are hard. Glad I gave up reading it. Some of the most deplorable journalists write for it.
It'll be gas watching people attempt to rewrite history as this story unravels. Cue lots of appeals to its truthiness (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truthiness).
Where did they get their original translations from? Google Translate? feckin hell, that's possibly the worst article I've ever seen
I've posted a comment on the story on independent.ie (well, I've submitted it - awaiting moderation). The address, for anyone so inclined:
http://www.independent.ie/national-news/polish-waitress-packs-in-job-for-good-life-on-irish-welfare-3005781.html (http://www.independent.ie/national-news/polish-waitress-packs-in-job-for-good-life-on-irish-welfare-3005781.html)
Quote from: saffron sam2 on February 01, 2012, 12:06:39 PM
One day when I was in a chip shop in a border town / city, I met a boy I used to teach. He told me he was living in Dundalk and signing on the dole.
"Why", says he, "should you sign on in the north, when you can sign on in the south?"
I'm surprised he didn't say why should I sign in the North when I can sign in both!!!!
By the way, the by-line on the article will ring a bell with gaaboard veterans.
Quote from: brokencrossbar1 on February 01, 2012, 02:20:40 PM
Quote from: saffron sam2 on February 01, 2012, 12:06:39 PM
One day when I was in a chip shop in a border town / city, I met a boy I used to teach. He told me he was living in Dundalk and signing on the dole.
"Why", says he, "should you sign on in the north, when you can sign on in the south?"
I'm surprised he didn't say why should I sign in the North when I can sign in both!!!!
Had to be said. My aul fella once observed from his time stationed in Carrick that if the RUC had to serve a summons in south Armagh they'd have to get the Army out. If the Guards had to serve a summons to someone from south Armagh they'd come into the station!
Quote from: deiseach on February 01, 2012, 02:33:41 PM
Quote from: brokencrossbar1 on February 01, 2012, 02:20:40 PM
Quote from: saffron sam2 on February 01, 2012, 12:06:39 PM
One day when I was in a chip shop in a border town / city, I met a boy I used to teach. He told me he was living in Dundalk and signing on the dole.
"Why", says he, "should you sign on in the north, when you can sign on in the south?"
I'm surprised he didn't say why should I sign in the North when I can sign in both!!!!
Had to be said. My aul fella once observed from his time stationed in Carrick that if the RUC had to serve a summons in south Armagh they'd have to get the Army out. If the Guards had to serve a summons to someone from south Armagh they'd come into the station!
Different worlds altogether!
That article is about as disgusting as I've seen by an Irish publication. It smacks of blatant xenophobia which is becoming dangerously prevalent in Ireland.
What is worse is that I have Irish friends who would say almost everything the Indo made up and misquoted the Polish girl as saying. They wouldn't publish it from an Irish national, even though we all know that attitude is widespread among some unemployed Irish people. Yet look at the outrage at the article before the truth emerged.
http://www.independent.ie/national-news/polish-ambassadors-response-to-irish-independent-article-3007331.html
Polish Ambassador's response to Irish Independent article
Dear Editor,
I refer to the article "Welcome to 'good life' on welfare – how Polish waitress embraced La Dole-ce Vita" published in the Irish Independent of Feb 1.
Firstly, let me focus on the article itself and on its level of inaccuracy relative to the original article (published in the magazine Wysokie Obcasy to the Polish daily Gazeta Wyborcza of Jan 29).
I wish to stress that the authors of the Irish article use the facts presented in the Polish article in a very selective and subjective manner. The subject 'Magda' states in the Polish article: "I have a big problem with being unemployed, I don't want to live at the State's expense and for that reason I use this assistance to allow me start up my own business". I believe that this is the sentence that best summarizes the context of the original article and it is decidedly unfortunate that it has been omitted in your article.
In terms of her describing her life as 'Hawaiian Massage' , at no stage in this article does she make such a statement. What she actually says is that she has completed a FÁS course in Hawaiian Massage and that she's planning to open a massage business next year. I think you can agree that this misrepresentation completely changes the tone of the article.
She also never describes the place where she lives as s***hole (in fact she loves it and is very passionate about it), she merely refers to other people saying that.
There are many other inaccuracies of that type throughout the Irish Independent article which could have been easily avoided if only the Polish article had been translated correctly or its content presented in a more objective manner.
I fully understand how potentially damaging this article might be to the good reputation that the Polish community has amongst Irish society and I ask your readers not to judge us on the basis of this solitary article. You have managed to get to know us well in recent years and you know our work ethic and our system of values which, I'm sorry to say, is inaccurately presented in this article published in the Irish Independent.
The decision to remain in Ireland that so many Polish people made in the recent years is a decision to make a valuable contribution to the Irish state by living and working here, integrating with the Irish society and being a part of it all in good times and bad. It's impossible to imagine that this decision, sometimes a very painful one, is made on the basis of the level of unemployment benefit or other kinds of support granted to the jobless by the Irish State.
Polish people that come to Ireland are young, well educated, dynamic and ambitious people who make a conscious choice to settle down here. Their first priority in life is to make an honest living for themselves. I cannot say that people like Magda don't exist – they do in every society and community around the world, including the Polish community in Ireland. On the basis of my personal experience with so many Poles living here, I can assure you that people like Magda constitute a very small minority of Poles in Ireland, and are in no way representative of the entire Irish – based Polish community.
The danger of an anti-immigrant atmosphere developing during harsh economic times is well-documented throughout history. I would hope that a major newspaper such as the Irish Independent would be conscious of this and take great care when fact-checking such a potentially inflammatory article.
Yours sincerely,
Marcin Nawrot
Ambassador
Quote from: Hardy on February 01, 2012, 02:17:47 PM
I've posted a comment on the story on independent.ie (well, I've submitted it - awaiting moderation). The address, for anyone so inclined:
http://www.independent.ie/national-news/polish-waitress-packs-in-job-for-good-life-on-irish-welfare-3005781.html (http://www.independent.ie/national-news/polish-waitress-packs-in-job-for-good-life-on-irish-welfare-3005781.html)
I see they have removed the 'comments' section. They must have been too much flack. Not that it could ever be possible to give that filthy rag too much flack.
EDIT: In other indo home page news, the duchess of Cambridge has a new puppy. Well that makes everything OK in the world then.
Quote from: Nally Stand on February 01, 2012, 03:49:49 PM
Quote from: Hardy on February 01, 2012, 02:17:47 PM
I've posted a comment on the story on independent.ie (well, I've submitted it - awaiting moderation). The address, for anyone so inclined:
http://www.independent.ie/national-news/polish-waitress-packs-in-job-for-good-life-on-irish-welfare-3005781.html (http://www.independent.ie/national-news/polish-waitress-packs-in-job-for-good-life-on-irish-welfare-3005781.html)
I see they have removed the 'comments' section. They must have been too much flack. Not that it could ever be possible to give that filthy rag too much flack.
No - it's still there for me. They haven't published my comment, though.
I cant see the comment section either.
Shocking article altogether - the daily mail would be ashamed of that.
Check again, was down for me and now back up - id say they dont know what to do with it now.
Fcuk them.
Latest - "Comments for this page are closed."
Quote from: Hardy on February 01, 2012, 04:05:03 PM
Latest - "Comments for this page are closed."
Was that byline guy a former contributor here? Or should we know him from a previous episode ?
Remember the "Greg Harkin" thread from about ten years ago?
http://www.presscouncil.ie/ (http://www.presscouncil.ie/)
http://www.presscouncil.ie/code-of-practice.10.html (http://www.presscouncil.ie/code-of-practice.10.html)
Principle 1 − Truth and Accuracy
1.1 In reporting news and information, newspapers and magazines shall strive at all times for truth and accuracy.
1.2 When a significant inaccuracy, misleading statement or distorted report or picture has been published, it shall be corrected promptly and with due prominence.
1.3 When appropriate, a retraction, apology, clarification, explanation or response shall be published promptly and with due prominence.
Principle 8 − Prejudice
Newspapers and magazines shall not publish material intended or likely to cause grave offence or stir up hatred against an individual or group on the basis of their race, religion, nationality, colour, ethnic origin, membership of the travelling community, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, illness or age.
http://www.presscouncil.ie/making-a-complaint.24.html (http://www.presscouncil.ie/making-a-complaint.24.html)
You can also complain about any article that you think offends against good journalistic practice to the extent that it amounts to a breach of the Code of Practice. However, if the article concerned refers to a particular individual or individuals, you have to get their written consent for your complaint. Otherwise it cannot be considered.
You can also complain about the behaviour of a journalist if you feel that this behaviour involves a breach of the Code.
Do I have to be personally affected by the article or behaviour?
Yes, you have to show that you have been personally affected by the article or behaviour in question.
Can I make a complaint on behalf of another person?
Yes, but only with their express written permission to do so.
In conclusion even though the article appears to be grossly misleading and inflammatory, we can't make a complaint as we are not named and we don't have permission of the individual affected. Of course since they changed her name no one can make such a complaint. That's grand so.
Interesting on the comments section of the page, it states "Comments that are judged to be defamatory, abusive or tasteless will not be approved".
Shame they don't apply the same standards when it comes to their own published articles.
Quote from: Hardy on February 01, 2012, 04:08:16 PM
Remember the "Greg Harkin" thread from about ten years ago?
Wasn't it related to the Rossie's naked pool escapades?
Quote from: tyrone86 on February 01, 2012, 04:28:52 PM
Quote from: Hardy on February 01, 2012, 04:08:16 PM
Remember the "Greg Harkin" thread from about ten years ago?
Wasn't it related to the Rossie's naked pool escapades?
Harkin was editor of the Irish Daily Mirror, which ran a story on the Rossie Nudiepoolgate. Someone posted here under the name Greg Harkin and took everybody in for a day or two of outraged posting and counter-posting.
Quote from: Fionntamhnach on February 01, 2012, 04:44:54 PM
The mention of her saying that she watches the sun rise on the beach in the mornings suggests that she lives either on the eastern shore of Inishowen or the western shore of Lough Swilly. It clearly rules out any beach on the west out to the Atlantic.
She watches it rise over the sand dunes. ;)
There'd be more than a few inlets along the western coast with east-facing stretches of beach.
twitter: Indo: "Having finally sated her monstrous appetite for native swans #Magda, now 40 stories high, kicked a primary school into the sea".
I'd imagine the €60 odd goes a lot further in Poland than €188 does here.
Disgrace the way this article was rehashed.
i heard monaghan co.counsellor seamus treanor (ind) ranting on george hook this evening he says the eastern europeans are cleaning ireland out.. 'the dole offices are full of them tramping about with their interpreters making sure they get every penny' hook did his best to interupt seamus but he was in full steam and a panzer tank would have bounced off him so there you have it ::)
Bullshit article as it is she could still be doing with a job no?
Quote from: lawnseed on February 01, 2012, 11:22:13 PM
i heard monaghan co.counsellor seamus treanor (ind) ranting on george hook this evening he says the eastern europeans are cleaning ireland out.. 'the dole offices are full of them tramping about with their interpreters making sure they get every penny' hook did his best to interupt seamus but he was in full steam and a panzer tank would have bounced off him so there you have it ::)
That was a disgrace. The moron was inarticulate and incoherent but sadly received a lot of support from texters to the show for his xenophobic foaming at the mouth. Don't we have incitement to hatred legislation? I'd propose the guards have a listen to his rant.
The indo is the Irish version of the Daily mail. Targeting foreigners is despicable. It won't be long before they feature an article on the precarious situation of the Irish illegals in the US - but that of course is totally different.
Quote from: Hardy on February 01, 2012, 02:17:47 PM
I've posted a comment on the story on independent.ie (well, I've submitted it - awaiting moderation). The address, for anyone so inclined:
http://www.independent.ie/national-news/polish-waitress-packs-in-job-for-good-life-on-irish-welfare-3005781.html (http://www.independent.ie/national-news/polish-waitress-packs-in-job-for-good-life-on-irish-welfare-3005781.html)
This is a newly translated version!
QuoteSome parts of the original interview, on which the story was based, were inaccurately translated.
A despicable pack of lying weasels. Through what filter do aspiring hacks pass that changes them from budding Woodward & Bernsteins to purveyors of such mendacity?
Quote from: deiseach on February 02, 2012, 01:52:23 PM
QuoteSome parts of the original interview, on which the story was based, were inaccurately translated.
A despicable pack of lying weasels. Through what filter do aspiring hacks pass that changes them from budding Woodward & Bernsteins to purveyors of such mendacity?
I believe it is called career progression
Quote from: seafoid on February 02, 2012, 10:46:41 AM
The indo is the Irish version of the Daily mail. Targeting foreigners is despicable. It won't be long before they feature an article on the precarious situation of the Irish illegals in the US - but that of course is totally different.
I have yet to come across a single line comment that better sums up the petty bullshit hypocrisy of a lot of Irish people on this issue than the above post. and the first line of defence when you raise the above blaring contradiction..........."but the illegal Irish in America work and behave themselves" indeed.
Hit this disgusting infantile rag of a Newspaper where it hurts, in their Pockets. Dont buy it. Contact their main sources of advertising and inform them of your intention to boycott their products, while they advertise in the Indo. Contact your local TD and ask them to highlight this article in the Dail, under incitement to hatred legislation. This columnist should be called to account, but there is no-one in our supine, gutless, and dishonest media who has the moral integrity to do so. Magda should the Asses off them.
Quote from: lawnseed on February 01, 2012, 11:22:13 PM
i heard monaghan co.counsellor seamus treanor (ind) ranting on george hook this evening he says the eastern europeans are cleaning ireland out.. 'the dole offices are full of them tramping about with their interpreters making sure they get every penny' hook did his best to interupt seamus but he was in full steam and a panzer tank would have bounced off him so there you have it ::)
There is no one cleaning the country out like the county councillors with their expenses and training days.Get rid of half of them and who would notice.
Quote from: Pangurban on February 02, 2012, 10:01:28 PM
Hit this disgusting infantile rag of a Newspaper where it hurts, in their Pockets. Dont buy it. Contact their main sources of advertising and inform them of your intention to boycott their products, while they advertise in the Indo. Contact your local TD and ask them to highlight this article in the Dail, under incitement to hatred legislation. This columnist should be called to account, but there is no-one in our supine, gutless, and dishonest media who has the moral integrity to do so. Magda should the Asses off them.
Well said.
At least it will give taxi drivers something new to moan about for a while