asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will modify the regulations governing unemployment assistance to meet the cases of fishermen in Kinsale and such centres who work on the share system and who, because they are "employed" once they enter a boat, are debarred from assistance; and whether seeing that their catches have been very low, scarcely exceeding a few shillings per man so far in the present season, he will take immediate steps to meet these cases of hardship.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Unemployment Assistance for Fishermen.
A person cannot be regarded as unemployed on any day on which he works for wages or other remuneration, whether paid in money or in goods or otherwise howsoever. Persons employed as fishermen and remunerated by a fixed share of the catch are not therefore unemployed, and unemployment assistance cannot be paid to them whilst they are so employed. I do not propose to introduce legislation altering this position.