asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he has since been able to make any agreement with the British and Northern Ireland Governments regarding reciprocal arrangements under the Unemployment Insurance Acts; if he is aware that many citizens of the Saorstát who were disemployed by the Belleek Pottery Company are now deprived of benefits owing to their homes being across the Border.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE RECIPROCITY.
I would refer the Deputy to the answer given to a question asked by Deputy Tomas MacEoin on this subject on the 19th December last. I have not been able to secure the agreement of the Governments of Great Britain or Northern Ireland to reciprocal arrangements.
In regard to the persons resident in the Saorstát who were employed by the Belleek Pottery Co. I have to refer the Deputy to paragraph 5 of the reply given by me to Deputy Tomas MacEoin on the 19th December last. I have been unable to bring the Government of Northern Ireland to any arrangement to remove what should not present a serious difficulty. The contributions in respect of the employment of these persons by the Belleek Pottery Co. were paid into the Unemployment Fund of Northern Ireland and are, therefore, not available for benefit here.
Might I ask the Minister whether anything has been done since December last to bring about a settlement? Is he aware that since that date this matter has been discussed in the Northern Parliament and that the impression was given there that the Free State was to blame?
The Deputy will have to put down a separate question.