asked the Minister for Social Welfare whether he is aware that persons who lost their employment as a result of a stoppage of work by other workers are disqualified from receiving unemployment benefit so long as the stoppage of work continues; and that this regulation imposes great hardship on the innocent people who become unemployed through no fault of their own; and if he will take steps to make provision for such cases.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Disemployed Persons Debarred from Unemployment Benefit.
36.
Under the law as it stands, persons who are not themselves parties to a trade dispute are disqualified from unemployment benefit if their loss of employment is due to a trade dispute at the premises or place at which they were employed. The law has operated in this way since the inception of compulsory insurance against unemployment in this country. On several occasions attempts have been made to devise an improved formula in consultation with associations of employers and workers, but it has not been found possible to arrive at a more satisfactory provision.
Does the Minister not agree that, on the basis of the evidence that is before him at the moment in relation to the Cork rail dispute. people who are in no way concerned with the unofficial stoppage have been debarred from receiving social welfare benefits and does he not think, in view of that, that some action should be taken by him to ensure that these people who have been insured down through the years and who have nothing to do with the stoppage will not be debarred from benefit?
If they have lost their employment due to stoppage of work at the premises where they are employed they are not as the law stands entitled to unemployment benefit.
And the Minister thinks that although they had nothing at all to do with the stoppage they should be debarred from benefit?
That is the law at the moment.
The Minister is the custodian of the law. I am simply asking the Minister does he not think some steps should be taken to rectify that grievance?
As I said, attempts were made prior to this to arrive at a more satisfactory provision but they were unsuccessful. As a matter of fact, the last attempts finished with a request to the Provisional United Trade Union Movement, as it was at the time, for consultations on the matter and no reply has been received to that since.
Does the Minister think that people who have nothing at all to do with this stoppage or this trade dispute but who happen to be indirectly involved in it in so far as they become disemployed should be debarred from unemployment benefit although they have been perfectly insured over a number of years?
That is the third or fourth time the Deputy has put that question.
I am simply asking the Minister for his views. I appreciate his difficulties but surely he can express a view as to whether or not the legislation should be changed.
Yes, if a formula can be arrived at—an agreed one.