Begging in Northern Ireland

guiriman

GlynD wrote: »

Beggars aside any Europeans I've met in NI have been as a result of their occupation.

I met quite a few a years ago down at Belfast met, they'd come over to do summer english language classes. Being EU they got these at local rates (sub £100, subsidised by the state), whereas my wife (who is from Latin America) was going to be charged over £600 regardless of the fact that she actually wanted to improve her english in order to work and contribute to the NI economy. Immigrants are as mixed a bag as the rest of us.

GlynD

guiriman wrote: »

I met quite a few a years ago down at Belfast met, they'd come over to do summer english language classes. Being EU they got these at local rates (sub £100, subsidised by the state), whereas my wife (who is from Latin America) was going to be charged over £600 regardless of the fact that she actually wanted to improve her english in order to work and contribute to the NI economy. Immigrants are as mixed a bag as the rest of us.

They certainly are but as you've correctly said, European migrant workers do have an advantage and it's one their government sought when they applied for membership of the EU. We may as well get used to it because it'll be happeniong for a long time.

And of course there is the advantage to ourselves and our young people who want to live or work in any of these countries. I don't think any of them are over popular at the minute because many of them were in the Soviet bloc for so long we don't know an awful lot about them. I'm sure that's changing now though because I've read articles about young UK people living and working in Poland.

I wonder are there any British begging gangs in Warsaw?

qwert_yuiop

GlynD wrote: »

They certainly are but as you've correctly said, European migrant workers do have an advantage and it's one their government sought when they applied for membership of the EU. We may as well get used to it because it'll be happeniong for a long time.

Well, until Britain leaves the EU anyway. Three or four years?

donnac2558

qwert_yuiop wrote: »

Some Romanians work, I've met a few. Do any Roma work? What do they do? What grounds do they get benefits under if they haven't worked? Plenty living off agincourt ave so someone is paying the rent.

Strangely they register as self employed therefore are able to claim benefits after 3 months, as in selling the Issues some run car washes. But cannot get NHS care or able to apply for social housing.

qwert_yuiop

donnac2558 wrote: »

Strangely they register as self employed therefore are able to claim benefits after 3 months, as in selling the Issues some run car washes. But cannot get NHS care or able to apply for social housing.

No one is going to turn them away from hospital if they present unwell, so they will receive health care whether they're entitled to it or not.

So there you have it. If you want them out, vote No next year. It'll probably all hinge on something as trivial as this kind of mismanagement.

GlynD

qwert_yuiop wrote: »

Well, until Britain leaves the EU anyway. Three or four years?

I can't see that happening because of the damage it would cause to trade.

donnac2558 wrote: »

Strangely they register as self employed therefore are able to claim benefits after 3 months, as in selling the Issues some run car washes. But cannot get NHS care or able to apply for social housing.

I think they get coached on what to do and say to get benefits before the travel here.

qwert_yuiop wrote: »

No one is going to turn them away from hospital if they present unwell, so they will receive health care whether they're entitled to it or not.

So there you have it. If you want them out, vote No next year. It'll probably all hinge on something as trivial as this kind of mismanagement.

As EU citizens they're entitled to free medical care as we are in their countries.

qwert_yuiop

GlynD wrote: »

I can't see that happening because of the damage it would cause to trade.

I can. Trade be damned. Continental Europe needs the UK market as much as Britain needs them


As EU citizens they're entitled to free medical care as we are in their countries.

No. You're not for instance entitled to free care even down south. Neither are the southerners unless they've a medical card if they're poor.

GlynD

qwert_yuiop wrote: »

No. You're not for instance entitled to free care even down south. Neither are the southerners unless they've a medical card if they're poor.

This Wikipedia article says different. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Healthcare_in_the_Republic_of_Ireland It says that all European citizens who have a European Health Insurance Card, which is free, are entitled to free treatment. I admit it is slightly bizarre then that I would receive free treatment when citizens of the Republic who don't have a medical card wouldn't but going back to the original point - any European who comes to another member country with a EHIC will get free treatment.

I note your opinion on European trade. It isn't one I agree with but that's what opinions are for. My best guess however is that the UK will remain in Europe.

qwert_yuiop

GlynD wrote: »

This Wikipedia article says different. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Healthcare_in_the_Republic_of_Ireland It says that all European citizens who have a European Health Insurance Card, which is free, are entitled to free treatment. I admit it is slightly bizarre then that I would receive free treatment when citizens of the Republic who don't have a medical card wouldn't but going back to the original point - any European who comes to another member country with a EHIC will get free treatment.

I note your opinion on European trade. It isn't one I agree with but that's what opinions are for. My best guess however is that the UK will remain in Europe.

So you're entitled to free care if you come from a country which has free care.

Trade - the UK is the 2nd biggest market in Europe. Mainland Europe will not dismiss that. When the UK leaves free trade will continue, unless barriers and protectionism make a come back elsewhere, in which case we've more to worry about anyway.

GlynD

qwert_yuiop wrote: »

So you're entitled to free care if you come from a country which has free care.

Trade - the UK is the 2nd biggest market in Europe. Mainland Europe will not dismiss that. When the UK leaves free trade will continue, unless barriers and protectionism make a come back elsewhere, in which case we've more to worry about anyway.

I'm not entirely sure. I've always travelled on insurance and have never used a EHIC. Then again I've never used the insurance either. So all I know about the EHIC is what I've read.

There's obviously a lot of diplomatic discussion to go on before the UK makes any decision on staying in the UK. My feeling is that trade will be the key issue but that may not necessarily be how it's presented to the great unwashed. An exit from the common area would be a barrier in itself in my opinion and a rejection of the protectionism already in place for EU members so I can see the UK GDP being threatened unless another market was found outwith the Commonwealth.