asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether it is his intention to take any action on the report of the Departmental Committee on migratory labour.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Migratory Labour.
Certain of the recommendations made by the committee have been accepted by the Government and the different Government Departments involved are taking steps to give effect to the Government's decision.
Would the Minister say what recommendations have been accepted?
A very large number of recommendations. To enumerate them all now would take considerable time.
Would the Minister cause a note to be circulated in the Official Report of which recommendations he has adopted?
I will consider that.
asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he is aware that a migratory labourer who is insured in Great Britain under the Unemployment Insurance Acts (a) is entitled, while resident and unemployed in Great Britain, to unemployment benefit at the rate of 17/6 per week with an allowance of 10/- per week in respect of his wife and an additional allowance in respect of his children, varying from 5/- to 3/- per week, even if his wife and family are residing in Ireland, but (b) is not entitled to benefit of any kind in respect of his British insurance on his return to Ireland; whether, having regard to these facts, he is prepared to make appropriate arrangements to enable men in this category to claim and receive benefit in respect of their British insurance on returning to reside in Ireland.
Contributions paid into the Unemployment Fund in this country are not recognised for the purpose of determining what unemployment benefit, if any, is to be paid out of the British Unemployment Fund. Conversely, contributions paid into the British Unemployment Fund cannot be reckoned for the purpose of determining what unemployment benefit, if any, is payable to a claimant in this country. Reciprocal arrangements under which contributions paid in one country would be taken into account for benefit purposes in the other would be welcomed by me. I regret, however, that the correspondence and negotiations between the two Governments which were undertaken at various times since 1924 for the purpose of completing such reciprocal arrangements have not borne fruit.
Have any representations been made to the British Government since the statement last year in this connection?
The matter has been taken up again.
Without any result even since then?
No results so far.