asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state whether he has inquired if that portion of the income-tax which is deducted from the wages of Irish nationals employed in Great Britain under the post-war credit system will, in fact, be refunded to such workers if and when they return to this country; whether he is aware that Irish workers receive no credit when they return to Ireland for the contributions which they pay into the British Unemployment Insurance and National Health Insurance Funds; and whether, in view of the latter fact, he will state the result of any representations which he made in regard to the income-tax deductions.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - British Tax Deductions.
With regard to the first part of the Deputy's question I have no reason to believe that the portion of income-tax which is deducted from the wages of Irish nationals employed in Great Britain will not be credited to these workers after the conclusion of the war whether they are in Great Britain or returned to this country.
With regard to the second part of the Deputy's question, reciprocal arrangements exist between this country and Great Britain under which National Health Insurance Benefit may be paid to residents of this country in respect of contributions paid for them in Great Britain, but there are no such arrangements for the purpose of Unemployment Insurance. The position with regard to Unemployment Insurance is that benefit may not be drawn by a worker on the basis of contributions paid by him except while he resides in the country where the contributions were paid. Efforts have been made from time to time to establish reciprocal arrangements for the purpose of Unemployment Insurance so that workers returning to this country might get benefit on the basis of contributions paid in Great Britain or Northern Ireland and vice versa. In this connection, I have nothing to add to the reply given to a Dáil question on this matter on the 20th November, 1941.