andMr. Ryan asked the Minister for Social Welfare if, having regard to the hardship suffered by a number of persons, including rent collectors, by reason of the exceptions from insurance provided by Subsidiary Employments Regulations, he will amend the regulations to bring such persons within the scope of the insurance schemes.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Subsidiary Employments Regulations.
13.
As the employments excepted from insurance by the regulations mentioned are of such a nature that they are ordinarily adopted as subsidiary employments only and not as the principal means of livelihood, I am not satisfied that the regulations in their application give rise to hardship or that amendment for the purpose indicated by the Deputies is necessary.
Employment as a rent collector is not excepted from insurance by the Subsidiary Employments Regulations unless it involves less than 18 hours service in a contribution week.
Would the Minister agree that hardship could arise where a rent collector operates for two or three property owners, working for each perhaps fewer than 18 hours a week? Because of these regulations, though he works full time, he is excluded.
The regulations as drafted provide that rent collectors are not excepted from insurance unless their employment involves less than 18 hours service in a contribution week. The obvious reason for this is that a collector could pick up other employment.
Would the Minister have a look at a position in which a rent collector works for three different property owners, the cumulative effect of which is that he works for more than 40 hours a week but he is excluded because he works for fewer than 18 hours for each property owner?
I will have a look at that case.