asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he is aware of the loss sustained in unemployment benefit by Saorstát citizens, entitled to benefits in Great Britain who, owing to unemployment, have to come back to reside in the Saorstát and whether in view of this serious loss to Irish workers he will endeavour to establish reciprocal arrangements between the two countries for an exchange of benefits.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Unemployment Benefit—Reciprocal Arrangements.
I am aware that persons insured against unemployment in Great Britain are not entitled to unemployed benefit in Saorstát Eireann in respect of the contributions paid for them in Great Britain. Protracted efforts to arrive at reciprocal arrangements by virtue of which contributions paid in the one country would entitle the persons for whom they were paid to unemployment benefits in the other have up to the present proved fruitless. I have recently endeavoured to re-open the question and am considering whether any further measures are possible which might offer greater prospects of success than those already taken.