asked the Minister for Social Welfare the number of applicants for unemployment assistance in the areas of Dungloe, Killybegs, Donegal, Ballyshannon and Ballybofey employment exchanges, whose means have been reviewed within the past four years, and the number of such applicants who as a result of the said review have had their means (a) increased, (b) decreased and (c) unchanged.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Review of Donegal Unemployment Assistance Cases.
4.
As the Deputy is aware the means of holders of qualification certificates must be reviewed when any change occurs in the circumstances of a holder, e.g. acquirement of property, marriage, change of address. The means of self-employed persons must also be re-examined periodically. Apart from the other reasons mentioned the means of the holder of a qualification certificate must also be re-investigated if his circumstances have not been reviewed for a number of years.
As regards the information requested, records are available only from 1st September, 1957. The number of unemployment assistance cases in Dungloe, Killybegs, Donegal, Ballyshannon and Ballybofey Branch Employment Office areas reviewed by officers of my Department in the discharge of their statutory duties within the period from 1st September, 1957, to 31st May, 1961, was 801, 506, 138, 109 and 206 respectively. Means were increased in 544, 395, 93, 54 and 137 cases respectively, reduced in 78, 38, 22, 18 and 16 cases respectively and left unchanged in 179, 73, 23, 37 and 53 cases respectively.