asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he is aware that unemployment assistance at the rate of 1/- per week has been granted to a number of applicants in North Mayo, some of whom have to sign evidence of unemployment six times weekly; and if he will make a statement on this matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Unemployment Assistance Payments in Mayo.
22.
I am aware that an applicant for unemployment assistance in any part of the country can have means sufficiently high to entitle him to payment of unemployment assistance at the rate of only 1/- a week. Such a minimum rate of payment arises because of the provisions of the Unemployment Assistance Acts relating to the abatement of the maximum rates of assistance in accordance with means of the applicant as calculated under the Acts. Under those provisions, the maximum scheduled rates are applicable to persons who either have no means or means not exceeding (a) 2/- a week in the case of a person without a dependant, or (b) 5/- a week in the case of a person with a dependant. Where the means exceed 2/- or 5/- a week, as appropriate, the maximum rate of unemployment assistance applicable to the class of the applicant is reduced by 1/- a week for every 1/- or part of a 1/-by which the weekly means exceed 2/- or 5/- as the case may be.
With regard to the question of attendance at the local office of applicants for unemployment assistance, I have dealt fully with this subject in the course of my replies to a number of previous questions put down by the Deputy and I consider that there is nothing which I can usefully add to the information already given or to the views I have already expressed.
May I ask the Minister if it is still the position that he has got no complaints from North Mayo with regard to the previously unheard-of type of inquisition which over the past five or six months has been carried out into the means of unemployment assistance applicants, resulting, in many cases, in these poor people having to travel six days a week to sign on for 1/2 a day?
That is not the question I was asked. I am not aware that there is mass inquisition in Mayo or anywhere else.
Can the Minister do anything about it?