asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he can state (a) the number of men in receipt of unemployment benefit in the Saorstát on the 1st May, 1926; (b) the number of women and juveniles on the same date; and (c) the number of men, women, and juveniles whose claims have been turned down since April 30th, 1925; and, also, if he will state the total amount of money paid in the Saorstát through the Labour Exchanges by way of benefit from April 30th, 1925, to May 1st, 1926.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - NUMBER OF UNEMPLOYED IN THE SAORSTÁT.
SEAN O LAIDHIN
The number of claims to unemployment insurance benefit current on the 26th April, 1926, the latest date for which statistics are available, was (a) for men, 14.578; (b) for women and juveniles, 2,581. It is not possible to state the number of claims disallowed from the 30th of April, 1925, because statistics relating to this aspect of the work of the Department are rendered at certain fixed periods; but between the 4th of May, 1925, and the 6th of April, 1926. the number of applications for benefit received at the local offices of the Department, was 87,617. Of these 76,822 were allowed, and 10,795 disallowed. The amount of unemployment insurance benefit paid direct to claimants and through associations having arrangements under Section 17 of the Act of 1920, between the 1st of May, 1925, and the 29th of April, 1926, was £676,058.