asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether he is aware that Mr. Patrick Sweeney, Carpenter, of Brownstown, Curragh Camp, Unemployment Card No. 117878, has over 500 payments to his credit as Unemployment Insurance, and has received only one day's benefit, viz., 1s. 2d., since 1912; whether this man is entitled to a refund of his contributions, plus 2½ per cent. compound interest, on attaining the age of 60 years; and, further, as he applied for this refund on the 7th September, 1923, and supplied all necessary information, including birth certificate, whether, if Sweeney is entitled to a refund, instructions will be given to have payment made forthwith.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - CLAIMS FOR REFUND OF UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE CONTRIBUTIONS.
Mr. O'HIGGINS (for Minister for Industry and Commerce)
In considering Mr. Sweeney's application for a refund it was necessary to trace and post up his Unemployment Book for 1922-23, to examine into discrepancies between the statement of his age on his original application for an Unemployment book and on his birth certificate, respectively, as well as discrepancies between the spelling of his name on his birth certificate, and as he is himself accustomed to sign it. This examination has been completed, and shows that Mr. Sweeney has in fact only 490 contributions to his credit, and is therefore ten short of the minimum number of 500 required in the case of a person entering insurance under the age of 55 years.