asked the Minister for Social Welfare whether he will indicate what changes, if any, have been made in the regulations governing the application of employment period Orders for the current year as compared with 1947.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Employment Period Orders.
Occupiers of land the poor law valuation of which is over £2 but not more than £4 are not debarred from unemployment assistance under the first Employment Period Order of 1949, whereas such persons were debarred from unemployment assistance by the first Order of 1947 unless they were members of the special register of agricultural and turf workers, which has since been discontinued. Further, the employment period is one week shorter in 1949 than in 1947.
The second Employment Period Order of 1949 leaves eligible for unemployment assistance in the non-scheduled areas men with dependents and women, and in the scheduled areas unmarried men with dependents and women, whereas persons in these classes were debarred from unemployment assistance by the second Employment Period Order of 1947 unless they qualified for exception as residents in houses owned by the local authority of a city or town but situated outside such area, or as factory workers or as members of the special register of agricultural and turf workers. Further, the second employment period of 1949 is three weeks shorter in duration than the second employment period of 1947.