asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether he is aware that, as a consequence of a recent reconstruction of the salary and wage scales operating in the transport services, a number of railwaymen who have been insured persons under the Unemployment Insurance Acts for very many years will shortly become exempt persons, on the grounds that their earnings exceed the insurable maximum; that these men will therefore cease to have any claim to benefit under these Acts and that, if for any reason they again become insurable, they will be required to re-enter insurance as new entrants; and whether, in these circumstances, he will take steps to raise the limits of the wages and salary scales operating to entitle workers to exemption from these Acts.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Railwaymen's Unemployment and Health Insurance.
I have had the matter of the existing remuneration limit for unemployment insurance under examination. The Deputy's question refers to railwaymen, but I must point out that the remuneration limit for insurability under the Unemployment Insurance Acts applies only to non-manual workers. As regards non-manual workers, I have no evidence of a general desire amongst such workers remunerated at a rate in excess of £250 per annum to be brought within the scope of the Unemployment Insurance Acts. This matter must be considered generally and not in relation to a particular group of workers. Non-manual workers who, by virtue of increases in remuneration, cease to be insured under the Unemployment Insurance Acts, will retain all their benefit rights until a whole insurance year from October to October during which no contribution is paid has elapsed. This period may extend to almost two years when the last contribution is paid in the first or an early week of an insurance year. It is only when no contribution is paid during a period of five insurance years that the contributions previously paid cease to be available for benefit. If, at any time during these five years, 12 contributions are paid all the contributions to credit become available for the contributor.
asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health whether he is aware that, arising out of a revision of wage and salary scales in the transport services, a number of railwaymen will shortly cease to be in insurable employment for the purposes of the National Health and Widows' and Orphans' Insurance Acts; that, in many cases, these men have a considerable number of contributions to their credit, and that, in the event of a downgrading of their status in the future, it is likely that in many cases these men will again become insurable, but will derive no advantages from their previous contributions; that in the latter case much hardship will be inflicted, not only on themselves, but on their dependents; and whether, in the circumstances, he will consider raising the exemption limit for insurability under the Acts to, say, £450, so as to preserve the continuity of insurance for the vast majority of salaried employees and wage earners likely to be affected by variations in annual earnings.
I would refer the Deputy to the reply given to a somewhat similar question asked by Deputy Norton on 13th February last.
I may add that the income exemption limit of £250 does not apply to manual workers, who remain compulsorily insurable irrespective of the amount of their remuneration. Non-manual workers, on reaching that limit, have the option of continuing their insurance on a voluntary basis. Leaflets explaining in detail the voluntary contributor scheme are supplied to inquirers by my Department or by the National Health Insurance Society.