asked the Minister for Social Welfare if the appeals officer has yet decided whether to allow 15th April last as a waiting day for those workers laid off because of a dispute in the ESB.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - ESB Workers Waiting Day.
10.
A decision given by an appeals officer in this matter—in the Cork test case to which I referred in my replies to the Deputy on 16th and 31st May, 1972—has just reached me. The appeals officer has confirmed the deciding officer's decision disallowing Saturday, 15th April, 1972, as a day of unemployment in the test case in question. Accordingly that day was not a waiting day.
The decision of the appeals officer, which is final, is being notified to the parties concerned.
Can the Minister not change the regulations?
No.
I think this is the first time this has been done.
We cannot change them now unless we amend the legislation.
Is this the first time that Saturday has been decided as a working day and that relief has not been granted for it?
It is decided as not being a waiting day. The deciding officer and the appeals officer concerned held it to be not a day of employment.
There are plenty of precedents that Saturday was, on previous occasions, decided as a waiting day. In fact, on every occasion up to this Saturday has been decided as a waiting day.
I do not think so.
The Minister's Parliamentary Secretary on the first occasion I raised this matter said that this was the first occasion on which Saturday was decided as not a waiting day.
Who am I to doubt him? I will have a look at it to see if there is much involved. The circumstances under which it arises are not so numerous. It does not arise on many occasions.
I should like the Minister to have another look at this particular matter.