asked the Minister for Social Welfare the average administrative cost to his Department of making a weekly payment to a recipient of unemployment assistance.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Unemployment Assistance Costs.
11.
The information requested is not available. I can say, however, that the total administration costs of my Department amount to only 4.3 per cent of total expenditure.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that a constituent of mine was adjudged by his Department to be worthy of 5p per week unemployment assistance and a voucher for two pounds of butter which he is not in a position to buy? Would he not think there should be some minimum amount payable? It surely costs much more than 5p per week to pay him this 5p. Would the Parliamentary Secretary not consider having a minimum payment of £1 per week or even 50p per week unemployment assistance?
That seems to be a separate question.
This is exactly what I had in mind.
The Deputy may have had it in mind but it is not on the Order Paper.
Finally, would the Parliamentary Secretary not agree that it would be very difficult for an official of any Department to assess a farm income which fluctuates——
The Deputy is getting into another area.
The supplementary question has no relation to the question.
Seeing that the matter is being dealt with so flippantly, I ask permission of the Ceann Comhairle to raise it on the Adjournment.
The Chair will communicate with Deputy Power on the matter.