asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether he is aware that a number of unemployed men at Balbriggan who were offered work by the Land Commission in the making of ditches at Flemingstown, Bremore, Balbriggan, at the rate of 27/- per week subject to broken time being deducted, refused on the instructions of their union to work at a less rate of pay than 43/6 per week, which is the rate locally paid for similar work by the Dublin County Council; whether he is aware that on refusing to accept the conditions of employment offered by the Land Commission the men were refused unemployment assistance, and whether he will state if there is any authority for refusing unemployment assistance to men merely on the grounds that they refused to accept conditions of employment which are less advantageous to them than the conditions recognised locally by other employers for similar work.
Ceisteanna-Questions. Oral Answers. - Balbriggan Unemployed Men.
Unemployment assistance was refused to a number of unemployed men in Balbriggan who refused to accept employment at 27/- per week with the Irish Land Commission. My information is that the rate offered is the usual rate paid by the Irish Land Commission for work of this nature. One of the statutory conditions for the receipt of unemployment assistance is that an applicant must be genuinely seeking but unable to obtain suitable employment, having regard to his age, sex, physique, education, normal occupation, place of residence and family circumstances. The unemployment assistance officer, who is the officer appointed under the Acts for the determination of such questions, decided that the employment which these applicants refused was suitable employment within the meaning of the Act. Any applicant to whom unemployment assistance is refused has statutory right of appealing to the court of referees and in certain circumstances to the umpire. I understand that most of the men to whom the Deputy refers have appealed, and that their cases are listed for hearing on this date. The authority for the refusal of unemployment assistance to any person who does not fulfil the statutory conditions under which alone it can be paid is contained in the Unemployment Assistance Act (Section 15).
Can the Minister say what is the trade union referred to?
I cannot.