asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he is aware that the weekly allowances granted under the Unemployment Assistance Act, 1933, are inadequate to meet the needs of families of two children and upwards and that there is general dissatisfaction regarding the operation of the "means test" and the "waiting period," and whether it is his intention to amend the Unemployment Assistance Act by increasing the scales of payment to meet the present contingency, so that poor law assistance under the Poor Relief (Dublin) Act, 1929, can be dispensed with.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - The Unemployment Assistance Act.
An increase in the rates of unemployment assistance or a reduction of the statutory "waiting period" would increase expenditure under the Unemployment Assistance Act, 1933, and I do not at present propose to introduce any amending legislation which would have this effect. The things which constitute the means of a person under the Unemployment Assistance Act, 1933, are defined in Section 13 of that Act, and persons who have such means cannot be treated under the Act as if they had no such means. The powers and responsibilities conferred on local authorities by those enactments under which relief by way of home assistance is provided are not affected by the Unemployment Assistance Act, 1933.
Might I ask the Minister if it is possible to speed up the time within which appeals are considered so that the waiting period will not be so long, because, during that time, such applicants have to be relieved under the Poor Relief (Dublin) Act, 1929?
The waiting period referred to in the Deputy's question has nothing to do with the consideration of appeals. It is a statutory waiting period provided for under the Act. I am not aware that there is any delay in considering appeals against refusal of unemployment assistance, nor do I think there is any considerable number of appeals outstanding against refusal of certificates in the City of Dublin.
There is a considerable amount of delay, and I think that representations to that effect have been made to the Minister, both in respect of the waiting period and appeals.