asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether he is aware that numbers of single men, and widowers without dependents, residing in Horgan's Buildings, Gurranebraher, and Spangle Hill, Cork, have been disallowed unemployment assistance benefit during the currency of employment period orders on the grounds that they reside in rural areas notwithstanding that they are living in corporation houses; whether he is aware that the majority of the men concerned were obliged to apply for home assistance; and whether in view of the fact that such important centres in Cork City are regarded under the unemployment assistance as being rural areas he will take steps to secure such amendment of the law as will permit of the removal of these anomalies.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Employment Period Orders and Unemployment Assistance (Cork).
The employment period orders made during 1939 under sub-section (3) of Section 4 of the Unemployment Assistance Act, 1933, include in their scope certain classes of persons resident in the County of Cork with the exception of those resident within the boundaries of the county borough, the urban districts and the towns having commissioners under the Towns Improvement Act, 1854. The areas affected by the orders include unincorporated towns and other types of districts.
The persons to whom the Deputy refers in his question do not reside within the boundaries of the County Borough of Cork. They reside outside the borough boundaries and in consequence are by reason of their places of residence covered by the employment period orders. In fixing the area of application prescribed in the orders, the fullest consideration was given to all the relevant facts. The problem was to apply the employment period orders to rural areas and not to urban areas. This involved the adoption of the recognised boundaries. It is clear that wherever the line of demarcation was drawn numbers of persons resident just outside it must be affected by these orders. The orders have now ceased to operate. The matter is not one for legislation.
Arising out of the Parliamentary Secretary's reply, this question deals with a problem which has arisen since the Unemployment Assistance Act was passed by the Dáil. If what is suggested in the question were adopted, it does not mean that other people could also be included, because what is raised here only applies to people who have been transferred from the City of Cork to this housing area: people who ordinarily should be regarded as city workers. I think that a case can be made for them. If a case is put up to the Department, I would like to know from the Parliamentary Secretary if he is prepared to consider it.
The obvious thing for the Deputy to do is to have the city boundary removed. That will be much easier than to have legislation introduced.
Deputy Hickey might help there.
May I say to the Parliamentary Secretary that the same thing applies to the Six Counties.
asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he is aware that great hardship is caused to a large number of heads of families in Cork by reason of the fact that their rates of benefit under the Unemployment Assistance Act are reduced from 23/- to 14/- per week consequent on their removal under the Cork City slum clearance order from Cork Borough to the corporation housing scheme outside, but adjacent to, the borough boundary; that the men concerned, although city workers, are regarded for the purpose of the Unemployment Assistance Act as being rural workers; and whether he intends to introduce legislation amending these Acts with a view to the removal of hardships of this kind.
The rates of unemployment assistance are referable not, as the Deputy seems to think, to classes of workers but to places of residence. The highest rates of unemployment assistance are payable to persons resident in any county borough or the borough of Dun Laoghaire. A person who is not resident within the boundaries of these areas cannot be paid these rates. In reference to the suggestion regarding the amendment of these statutory provisions to meet the exceptional case of persons affected by slum clearances in Cork, I would refer the Deputy to the reply given to a previous question asked by him on the 13th January, 1938.
Arising out of the Parliamentary Secretary's reply, as I said a moment ago this is a problem which has arisen in the City of Cork since the passing of the Unemployment Assistance Act. As the Parliamentary Secretary has stated, I asked a question on this on the 13th January 1938. I again ask that consideration of the amendment of the Act be taken up in view of the fact that these are city workers who have been compelled under a Slum Clearance Order to go outside the city and reside in the new houses provided for them there. They surely cannot be regarded as rural workers within the meaning of the Act, as originally passed. I would appeal to the Parliamentary Secretary to consider this particular case. So far as I know, this is a matter that does not arise in any other district in as acute a form as it does in Cork City where there is no land available to enable provision to be made for those workers within the city. The result of that has been that the houses provided for have been erected outside the city boundary.