asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will state the number of applications for unemployment benefit and national health insurance made during 1957-58 on contributions paid in Great Britain.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits: Contributions in Britain.
12.
The number of applications for transfer of contributions from Great Britain made during 1957-58, for the purpose of obtaining unemployment benefit, was 10,180.
Under the reciprocal arrangements with Great Britain relating to disability benefit, where an insured person moves from one country to the other and claims benefit, the claim is proper to the first country until the claimant has been resident in the second country for six months. The insurance is then due for transfer to the second country and that country becomes liable to pay benefit in respect of claims.
Where a person insured under the Irish Acts goes to employment in Great Britain but returns before the expiration of six months in that country any claim to benefit made by him is proper to this country and takes contributions paid in Great Britain into account. In the year 1957-58 there were approximately 4,700 such persons.
Where a person who was insured under the British Acts completes a period of six months in this country and in consequence has his British insurance transferred to this country, his insurance is treated as Irish insurance and claims to disability benefit made by him are then proper to this country. Approximately 8,700 insured persons had their British insurance transferred in the year 1957-58.
As records of British insurance are not kept separately from the main records of insurance in my Department, it is not possible to state how many of such persons claimed disability benefit in the year 1957-58.