asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce what amount has been paid in unemployment assistance to single men in each month (or other period conveniently ascertained) since April 1st, 1940, to date.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Unemployment Assistance Payments.
The information which the Deputy requires is not available and cannot be compiled from the weekly accounts of payments of unemployment assistance. The payments made to single men are not distinguished from the payments made to other classes of recipients.
Surely the Dáil ought to be informed as to the amount of unemployment assistance given to single men, as distinct from married men? May I ask the Parliamentary Secretary if he will make further and better inquiry with a view to getting those figures? May I further ask him if, when he has got them, he will direct the attention of the Minister for Finance to this fund as one from which he might reasonably finance a considerable part of the cost of the children's allowances scheme recently enacted by this House?
That is a separate question.
Will the Parliamentary Secretary give any information to the Dáil as to how much money is being given to unemployed single men by way of unemployment assistance?
The accounts are not kept in such a manner as would enable me to give the Deputy the information which he seeks, inasmuch as there are amounts payable, for instance, to married men without dependents, and also to single women and widows without dependents. It would necessitate going over every payment made to all those individuals over the past 3¾ years. The staff, who are already complaining of overwork, could not possibly be asked to undertake such a gigantic task. The filing of those applications is in order of occupation, because that facilitates recipients when they call to the office. In order to give the Deputy the information he seeks, the recasting of the whole system would have to be undertaken.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary consider giving, even in reply to a private inquiry, an unofficial estimate of what the Department believes is the proportion of the total payment of unemployment assistance which goes to single men?
Perhaps it would satisfy the Deputy if we were to give him figures for a week? If that will satisfy him, I will undertake to have it done.
I do not wish to ask the Parliamentary Secretary to undertake an unreasonable inquiry. I appreciate his difficulties, due to being short of staff, and so forth. I shall be quite content if I get a rough estimate of what the Department believes to be the proportion of the total payment which is received by unmarried men. Perhaps the Parliamentary Secretary would look into the matter, and I will approach him again on another occasion.
I will look into the matter, and if possible the Deputy will have the information, but it will have to be a rough estimate.