asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state (a) the number of agricultural labourers in the constituency of East Cork who are unemployed and who have made application for unemployment assistance and (b) the number of agricultural labourers who hold qualification certificates to receive unemployment assistance under the Unemployment Assistance Act, 1933.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Agricultural Labourers and Unemployment Assistance.
The compilation of the particulars asked for in the first part of the question would involve a great deal of time and labour which, in my opinion, would not in present circumstances be justified. The information asked for in the second part is not available, but the Deputy may take it that every agricultural labourer is entitled, like other labourers, to receive a qualification certificate under the Unemployment Assistance Act, 1933, if he fulfils the conditions for the receipt of such certificate. The conditions are:—
(1) that the applicant is a national of Saorstát Eireann within the meaning of the definition, laid down in the Act;
(2) that the applicant has attained the age of 18 years and has not attained the age of 70 years; and
(3) that the applicant's means, calculated in accordance with the Act, do not exceed, in case he is resident in a county borough or the Borough of Dun Laoghaire, £52 or, in case he is resident elsewhere in Saorstát Eireann, £39 per annum.
Arising out of the Minister's reply, is the Minister aware that, owing to the agricultural policy of the Minister for Agriculture, there is increased tillage in connection with the cultivation of beet and wheat in the constituency of East Cork but that the farmers find it very difficult to find labour there to save these crops? Will the Minister have inquiries made into those "work-shies" who are drawing unemployment assistance at the present moment and also into the bona fides of the agricultural labourers who are looking for unemployment certificates?
If an applicant for unemployment assistance, or a person in receipt of unemployment assistance refuses an offer of work under certain conditions, then the payment of unemployment assistance may be stopped.
I can only say that I know of several cases in East Cork where work has been offered to agricultural labourers and they have refused it.