Lives were shattered in the Allowance Scandal: ‘My children, your children: they should no longer suffer from this’

Dulce Gonçalves (43) – ‘I would have liked to see names mentioned’

“It is a nice report, but now action must be taken based on what it says. We now have an answer to the question why and the new cabinet must get to work on that.

And yes, I would have liked to see names mentioned in the report. But I had decided in advance not to set the bar too high. The most important thing is that it is resolved for us, that we get some rest, and that the children can come home safely [van sommige gedupeerden zijn de kinderen uit huis geplaatst]. And now there are answers. This is historic!

When you hear that it could happen again tomorrow, as the committee writes, you get scared. Then it is difficult to say: I am going to work on my future. But I will. I feel like I’m closing my process and I can’t let my future depend on what was done to me. Moreover, this should never happen anywhere again. The people who come after me, my children, your children: they should no longer be bothered by this.”

Janet Ramesar (39) – ‘After more than four years I am a bit cynical’

“I was at the presentation of the report and I thought: yes, what now? Who is going to do something with it? I’m a bit cynical after more than four years. I am still almost at the beginning of my financial settlement. At first I hoped for a quick solution. Now I wonder how long everyone will remain outraged.

Reports have been filed against civil servants and ministers. In the end nothing happened. Who did it doesn’t matter to me anymore, I just want it to be resolved. Both in terms of compensation and in terms of system rot.

I am angry that an entire committee had to be set up to investigate what we as benefit parents have been saying for years. On the other hand, I’m relieved, because unfortunately these kinds of things are only taken seriously if there has been an investigation. About the system rot: I am now also in politics, in the municipal council, and know that this is not something you can solve with a snap of your fingers.”

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“We have spared nothing or no one in our report,” says fraud researcher Van Nispen

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