More than 6,300 people on jobseeker's allowance over 10 years
James Cox
More than 6,300 people have been on Jobseeker’s Allowance for over a decade, at an estimated cost of €800 million to the State.
New figures from the Department of Social Protection show 6,329 people have remained on the payment for 10 years or more.
There are currently 145,100 people unemployed across the country.
The figures were provided to Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín. Tóibín said social welfare should not become a lifestyle.
He told Newstalk: "So the cohort of people within this bloc are physically health. They're in the market - supposedly - for work, and yet they've gone 10 years straight without work.
"Now that is wrong. It is shocking that it hasn't actually been brought to the attention of the public or the Government before. It's wrong for the Government to allow it to happen."
