The President of the Workers’ Party, Michael Donnelly, has said there is a judicial bias against working class people when it comes to the penalties for fraud and other financial wrongdoings.
Mr. Donnelly said that the five year prison sentence handed down to a man convicted of social welfare fraud was in stark contrast to the courts’ treatment of wealthy and influential people who had defrauded the state on a grand scale.
“In no way can anyone condone any type of fraudulent behaviour but there is a vast difference between what has happened to this individual and what has not happened to those in the banking and financial classes for their fraudulent criminal activity”.
The Workers’ Party President said that official figures from the Department of Social Protection showed that the level welfare of fraud is miniscule. “In 2011 extensive investigations uncovered a fraud level of just 0.1% or around €26 million. In contrast the banking crisis, which was caused by massive fraud and shady practices almost bankrupted this country and bailout payments will continue to be paid by the present generation’s grandchildren.”
“For the bankers, well their friends in government made absolutely sure that not only would they not face jail for their fraud but the total cost of their crimes would be borne fully by the ordinary people. This was done as we all know by diverting all available social funds to pay off their debts. As always, there are laws for the poor and rewards for the rich”, said Michael Donnelly.