asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether he is aware that prior to the 1st April the following persons residing in the district of Tullaroan, County Kilkenny, i.e., Kieran Cody, John Dunne, Richard Dunne, William Fitzpatrick, Thomas Bergin, William Cuddihy, Patrick Fitzpatrick, Patrick Butler, John Heffernan and Patrick McCabe, made application at the local employment exchange for qualification certificates under the Unemployment Assistance Act, 1933; whether qualification certificates had not been issued to these applicants prior to the 21st May, and, if so, whether he can state the reason for the great delay in issuing these certificates, and whether he is aware that much dissatisfaction is felt in County Kilkenny arising out of the delay in issuing qualification certificates and the payment of claims to unemployment assistance and whether he proposes to take steps to expedite the consideration of applications.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Operations of U.A.A. in Kilkenny.
Qualification certificates were issued to five of the persons specified in the question prior to the 21st May, 1934. In other cases certificates have not yet been issued.
The work of issuing certificates is proceeding with all possible speed and it will take considerable time to dispose of the large number of applications which have been received. The determination of the question of whether or not applicants for qualification certificates fulfil the statutory conditions for the receipt of such certificates involves a full examination of all the relevant circumstances of the applicants and it will be appreciated that in cases in which applicants possess means within the meaning of Section 13 of the Act local investigation is necessary to ascertain the yearly value of such means.
My Department is doing all that is possible to dispose of applications in the minimum time.