asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will state in respect of the special unemployment assistance allowance described in the Social Welfare Booklet (1) the total amount of benefit paid in a recent period, (2) the amount of benefit paid in the same area in a similar period and (3) the total number of successful applicants in a recent period.
Written Answers. - Special Unemployment Assistance Allowances.
128.
It is assumed that the question is concerned with those recipients of unemployment assistance whose means have been calculated in accordance with the special method applicable to smallholders resident in specified congested areas. Under this method, which has been in operation since 3rd January, 1966, means derived from land are normally taken to be the equivalent of £20 per £1 of land valuation instead of the actual income from the working of the holding. Under transitional arrangements, however, the old method still applies to many smallholders within the congested areas if that is to their advantage and it applies generally outside these areas. No separate statistics are maintained of the weekly amounts paid under the two systems and it is not possible to give figures in relation to (1) and (2) of the question.
In regard to (3), the total number of smallholders who have been awarded qualification certificates under the new provisions up to 3rd February, 1967, is 5,642. Information is not available as to how many of these were in receipt of unemployment assistance on any particular date.
The Dáil adjourned at 4.20 p.m. until 3 p.m. on Wednesday, 22nd February, 1967.