Social welfare staff across the country have been subjected to a series of threats and verbal abuse, with some incidents escalating to alarming levels.
According to a report in the Sunday Independent, one individual warned of riots involving guns, machetes, and balaclavas, while another staff member was directly confronted in their private office.
The incidents, which have been revealed through a Freedom of Information request, highlight the growing risks faced by frontline workers dealing with social welfare payments. Employees have also been subjected to racist and offensive remarks, with reports of verbal abuse both in person and over the phone.
In one case, a single email address received 56 abusive messages from the same individual over a four-month period.
The Department of Social Protection has acknowledged the issue and confirmed that panic buttons have been installed in certain social welfare offices, allowing staff to immediately alert Gardaí in emergency situations.
However, due to data protection concerns, the department has not disclosed the specific locations where these incidents occurred.
Many of these confrontations stem from disputes over welfare payments being reduced or cut. Frustration over delays or rejections has led to increasingly aggressive reactions from claimants.
In one particularly troubling case, an individual, after losing an appeal, threatened to show up at a social welfare office with a hurling stick.
