andMr. Timmins asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will consider abolishing the waiting period of three days at the beginning for persons drawing unemployment benefit, as considerable hardship is being imposed in many cases.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Unemployment Benefit Payments.
27.
Abolition of the three waiting days in relation to unemployment benefit would require legislation and this is not contemplated. The waiting days apply only where an interval of more than thirteen weeks has elapsed since unemployment or disability benefit was last obtained. I may add that one effect of the doubling last year of the duration of unemployment benefit to 312 days is to reduce the occurrence of waiting days in many cases.
Would the Minister like to say why the waiting days are kept?
I suppose it is for the purpose of eliminating a great number of frivolous claims for short duration unemployment or sickness benefit.
The Minister does appreciate this is causing hardship to people who, because they are sick and receiving only a small wage, must go back to work as quickly as possible? If they go back after four or five days they get nothing. Would the Minister not agree the end result is that people suffer? He is punishing people who are entitled to benefit rather than otherwise.
I do not agree. This does not operate to victimise intermittent claimants. Where a person if frequently unemployed or ill the 13 weeks abolishes the waiting period.
The man who works all his life gets penalised.