asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether he is aware that grave dissatisfaction, and a considerable amount of distress which has called for intervention and assistance on the part of the Dublin Board of Public Assistance, exists among a large number of persons in Dublin whose claims for unemployment assistance are awaiting decision on appeal for very long periods; and if he will state how many appeal cases in the Dublin district are now under consideration and how many of these were made before the 1st January last; and if he will state what steps he will take to expedite a decision in longstanding cases.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Unemployment Assistance Appeals.
Appeals lodged at the Employment Exchange, Dublin, by applicants against decisions on their applications for payment of unemployment assistance are heard by the Court of Referees within a week. No delay occurs.
Appeals against either the refusal of an application for a qualification certificate or against the determination of the applicant's weekly rate of means (to which possibly the question refers) are heard by the Unemployment Appeals Committee. The number of such appeals lodged in the Dublin Employment Exchange, up to and including 9th February, 1935, was 1,641. Of this number 1,525 had been lodged prior to the 1st January, 1935. As appeals are filed for the country as a whole in the order in which they are received and dealt with in that order it is not possible, without considerable labour and expense which would not be justified by the result, to segregate for the purpose of analysis appeals lodged in the Dublin district and subsequently dealt with through the ordinary machinery. I am, therefore, unable to say how many Dublin appeals are awaiting determination by the Unemployment Appeals Committee. Every effort is being made to dispose of the appeals as expeditiously as possible.
It does not necessarily follow, however, that the determination of an applicant's appeal will improve his position under the Act.
Might I ask the Minister if he is aware that there is quite a number of cases in which applicants are refused benefit under the Act on the ground that they are not seeking employment? Is he not aware that this objection holds up their cases? Does he not consider that an unreasonable objection on his part in opposing benefit? In most cases, these have to come back on appeal. Would the Minister give an explanation as to the working of this part of the Act which is causing so much dissatisfaction?
Any appeal by the applicant against the refusal of assistance on the grounds stated by the Deputy is heard by the local Court of Referees within one week of the making of the appeal. There is no delay whatever in the determination of such appeals by the Dublin Court of Referees.
Is the Minister aware with regard to appeals in rural areas that of such appeals coming under the second category as to means, there are hundreds of cases outstanding for five months?
Yes, 26,000 cases.
And does not the Minister consider it a very grave reflection upon his own Department that such a state of affairs should exist and will he inform the House what he proposes to do about it?
Steps are provided in the Act.
Does the Minister propose to take any steps whatever in order to set right the hopeless and shameless breakdown that has occurred under his administration?
The Deputy knows nothing at all about it.
The Deputy knows a great deal about it.