asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether he will state the reason for the refusal to pay unemployment benefit to Thomas Magan, of Coonagh, Carbury, Co. Kildare, Book No. 1062, Edenderry Branch Office; whether he is aware that Mr. Magan claims to have been a contributor in England since 1912, and whether he will communicate with the Unemployment Insurance Department in London with a view to payment of benefit.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - PAYMENT OF UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFIT.
It is laid down in sub-section 4 of Section 8 of the Unemployment Insurance Act, 1920, that where no contributions are paid in respect of any person during any insurance year, he shall be disqualified from receiving unemployment insurance benefit until twelve contributions, exclusive of any contributions paid for him before that year, have been paid for him under the Act. As no contribution has been paid into the unemployment fund in this country for Mr. Thomas Magan during the 1923-24 insurance year, his claim of the 26th March was disallowed under the sub-section to which I have referred. The claimant appealed against the decision, but the Court of Referees recommended that the claim should be disallowed, and that recommendation has been accepted by the insurance officer. No unemployment benefit can, therefore, be paid to Mr. Magan until at least twelve further contributions have been paid for him in respect of employment in this country.