The Department of Social Protection have installed panic buttons in welfare offices, as staff have been facing abuse.
A Sunday Independent report has revealed a series of disturbing incidents, including threats of riots involving guns and machetes. In one case, a worker was confronted in their own office, while others have been subjected to racist slurs and verbal harassment.
The incidents, which were disclosed through a Freedom of Information request, show that some staff have endured relentless abuse. One email account received 56 aggressive messages from the same person over a four-month period.
Many of these confrontations stem from disputes over social welfare payments being reduced or cut. Frustration over appeals and delays has led to aggressive outbursts, with one individual even threatening to arrive at an office with a hurling stick.
While the department says the panic buttons allow staff to immediately alert Gardaí in emergencies, workers are calling for further protections as tensions over welfare disputes continue to rise.
