asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will state, in respect of the Letterkenny and Dunfanaghy exchange districts, the number of unemployment assistance claims reinvestigated since 1st June, 1954, and further the number of such cases in which payment has been reduced or discontinued.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Unemployment Assistance Claims.
The numbers of unemployment assistance applications in respect of the Letterkenny and Dunfanaghy local office areas which have been reinvestigated since the 1st June, 1954, are 41 and 67, respectively. Of these cases the numbers in which unemployment assistance ceased to be payable or became payable at a reduced rate are 21 and 31.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will state in respect of each of the branch employment offices at Killybegs, Ballyshannon and Donegal (a) the number of claimants who had their claims reinvestigated or otherwise revised since 1st June, 1954; (b) the number of claimants who had their weekly payments reduced, and (c) the total amount of such reductions.
The numbers of unemployment assistance applicants in respect of the Killybegs, Ballyshannon and Donegal local office areas which have been reinvestigated since the 1st June, 1954, are 47, 36 and 14, respectively. Of these cases the numbers in which unemployment assistance ceased to be payable or became payable at a reduced rate are 28, 11 and six, respectively.
As the amount of the reduction varies in each individual case and is dependent on the duration of the claim, the total amount involved in such reductions is not available and cannot readily be calculated.
Would the Minister say whether it is the settled policy of his Government to effect economies at the expense of these poor people?
A direction has been given to any of these investigation officers who behave in any way differently than has been the custom for the past number of years, but if the Deputy had asked me to give him figures for the same period last year, he would have found that his own Minister, under the administration of his own Government, had many more cases reinvestigated and reduced.
Arising out of that reply, will the Minister say whether or not it is true that there are political appointments and that there are people appointed in this area for the sole reason that they are in favour of the Government?
The Deputy would probably know more than anybody else about these political appointments.
Further arising out of this question, did the Minister take into consideration the hardships caused to these people? There have been hardships caused and will the Minister have these cases investigated?
The Deputy must appreciate that I have no function to initiate any investigation at all. Such investigations take place on the initiation of the investigation officer.
Surely the Minister can give a direct reply.