asked the Minister for Social Welfare whether he has yet received the recommendations of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions on the question of people, who are disemployed because of strike action taken by other people, not being eligible for unemployment benefit; and whether it is a fact that his Department have been awaiting the views of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions on this matter since June, 1964.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Eligibility for Unemployment Benefit.
31.
For many years efforts have been made by my Department in correspondence and discussions with the trade union movement to devise an acceptable form of amendment to the existing trade dispute disqualification for employment benefit. My Department's aim in these approaches has been to seek out a formula consistent with the neutrality of the social insurance fund and at the same time likely to better the position of workpeople who have no part in a trade dispute at their place of employment. The most recent conference on this matter was held on 18th June, 1964, when the Standing Committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions and officials of my Department had an exchange of views. It was then agreed that the trade union side should make a written submission in support of the modification of the law which they proposed. Since that date nothing further has been heard from the Congress.
Mr. O'Leary
Is it not a fact that the burden of the representations of the Trade Union Congress have for years been to the effect that where workers are laid off in a particular dispute in which they are not themselves involved, they should, in fact, get unemployment benefit?
The fact is that I am awaiting submissions from the Irish Congress of Trade Unions and I cannot get them.
Bearing in mind the Minister's apparent desire to do something about this matter and the fact that he is waiting to hear from the Congress, would he not take the initiative and invite the Congress of Irish Trade Unions to consultation with him?
Consultations have taken place and it was agreed that the Congress would submit a written memorandum on their proposals and this they have not done.
That is not correct.
I am awaiting that.
That is not correct. That was denied in this House before.
It was not denied; it was never denied.
Mr. O'Leary
Is the Minister blaming the Trade Union Congress for the present situation?
I should like to ask the Minister——
I cannot allow questions to go on all day.
This happens to be my question.
A planted one.
When I raised this matter on a Supplementary Estimate for the Minister's Department in February last, Deputy Tully was present and showed amazement when he discovered that the Minister had been waiting since June, 1964, for this recommendation from the Congress.
That is not a question; that is a statement.
This matter affects four men in my constituency who were deprived of unemployment benefit because of this anomaly.
The Minister is responsible.
Now that it has been brought out in the open, I would ask the Minister to request Congress——
To wake up.
——to meet him on the matter.
Will the Government wake up?
Deputy Norton considered that this was a better provision than that in the British Act.
Attack somebody who is here if you want but leave the late Deputy Norton out.
It comes to be in the legislation because Deputy Norton decided in favour of this provision.
You are the Minister.
I want to do something about it with the Congress and the Congress have not co-operated.
It is a standing regulation.
Question No. 33.