asked the Minister forSocial Welfare if he will state the reason why an agricultural labourer with a wife and two children residing at Ballinock, Dungarvan, has been refused unemployment benefit for the past four weeks, and if he will have a full investigation carried out in the matter and a decision conveyed immediately so that this person may obtain home assistance in the event of his not being entitled to unemployment benefit.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Unemployment Benefit.
The person to whom the Deputy refers received payment of unemployment benefit up to the 9th September last, at which date he exhausted his right to benefit in respect of the contributions paid for him up to that time. It is understood that he obtained a spell of employment subsequently.
I have ascertained that this man called at the local office some time ago and as his insurance card was not stamped, he was advised to ask his employer to affix the stamps and return that day to make a claim to unemployment benefit. He did not return to the local office on that day, nor has he since attended.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will state why a widow residing in the Dungarvan district has only been paid half her normal unemployment insurance benefit although she has over 26 insurance stamps to her credit.
The Social Welfare (Overlapping Benefits) Regulations, 1953, provide that where a widow is in receipt of a widow's pension in respect of any week, the rate of unemployment benefit otherwise payable to her in respect of any day in that week shall be reduced by half. The claimant to whom the Deputy refers is in receipt of a widow's contributory pension and, consequently, the rate of unemployment benefit which would otherwise be payable to her is reduced by half.