asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if the holder of a qualification certificate under the Unemployment Assistance Act, 1933, who surrenders his certificate when lodging an appeal against a means assessment is regarded, pending the reissue of the certificate, as being ineligible for employment on relief schemes and other public works as an unemployed person and if, having regard to the existing practice and the statement made in the Dáil on November 15th, 1934, by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance, he can indicate in general terms the nature of the instructions issued in reference to such applicants for work.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Unemployment Assistance Certificates.
The order of preference which has been prescribed for the selection of persons for employment on relief works has been designed with the purpose of securing that where there is not work available for all applicants first preferences will be given to those most in need of work. To give effect to the principle involved it has been decided that in selecting persons for employment on public work financed from Central Funds first preference must be given to persons who are in receipt of unemployment assistance.
The fact that the holder of a qualification certificate has appealed against the assessment of his means by an assistance officer does not debar him from claiming and receiving assistance and so entitling him to preference for employment on works financed from Central Funds, provided he satisfies the statutory conditions for its receipt and is free from the statutory disqualifications.
asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether he will state what provision is made to investigate the complaints of persons who allege, as was alleged by a number of persons in Cappawhite, that payment of benefit under the Unemployment Assistance Act, 1933, where the recipient holds a qualification certificate, is discontinued improperly or as the result of allegations which they have no opportunity for several months of rebutting; whether he is aware that persons whose benefit is discontinued in this manner are suffering great hardship, and if he is prepared to make arrangements for a speedy determination in these cases.
As pointed out in a reply addressed to the Deputy on the 20th March, 1935, an unemployment assistance officer in discharge of his obligations under the Unemployment Assistance Act, 1933, is bound to investigate any information coming to his notice which affects or which may affect the question of the fulfilment of the statutory conditions for the receipt of unemployment assistance, and where the necessity for such investigation arises, the necessary action is taken as expeditiously as possible. If as a result of investigation the unemployment assistance officer determines that unemployment assistance is not payable, the applicant is duly notified without delay of the determination and of his right of appeal to a court of referees which is provided by Section 20 (3) of the Act. Every applicant for unemployment assistance, therefore, in whose case there is a determination by an unemployment assistance officer which is adverse to the applicant is afforded, without delay, an opportunity of contesting the determination, and in cases of successful appeal, payment of unemployment assistance, including accrued arrears, is made without any avoidable delay.
I am satisfied that, provided applicants avail adequately and promptly of the right of appeal afforded to them, there can be no reasonable complaint against the existing procedure.
Arising out of the Minister's reply, would he indicate what he considers reasonable delay, considering that these are people who have proven themselves to be entitled to unemployment assistance, have qualified under the Act, and who, because some unknown person, perhaps evilly disposed, writes in something about them, they are immediately struck off the benefit list and allowed to starve while they are waiting for an investigation? I consider that the delays are very unreasonable. I think that they should not be struck off from benefit before they get an opportunity of proving themselves to be the victims of false information.
The period for lodging an appeal is fixed in the Act. The determination of the unemployment assistance officer on the facts can be done in a very short time, and is, in fact, done very expeditiously.
Would the Minister indicate whether or not a number of such cases take more than three months to deal with?
I do not think so.
Mr. Murphy
I can assure the Minister that I know of several cases.
Is the Minister aware that persons who apply for unemployment assistance are sometimes waiting for eight months?
The question at issue has nothing whatever to do with that.