asked the Minister for Social Welfare his proposals in respect of persons in receipt of pay-related benefits whose entitlements cease under the scheme after the prescribed period.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Pay-Related Benefits.
22.
Proposals for legislation in this matter have been approved by the Government and I will shortly be submitting them to Dáil Éireann.
Therefore, the intention is to produce legislation giving effect to the wishes expressed in my question? Can the Parliamentary Secretary say when the legislation, as a matter of urgency, will be introduced because the situation is becoming very serious?
The Deputy may take it that it will be introduced in the very near future.
Within a week, two weeks or three weeks?
Yes, about that time.
Will the legislation be retrospective so as to include people whose benefits have expired because of the termination of the 24-week period?
It would not be right for me to anticipate legislation.
Does the Parliamentary Secretary not appreciate the difficulty being experienced by people whose benefits expired some weeks ago and who are still unemployed? Can he not give some indication to the House that the Government are worried about the situation?
People who are unfortunate enough to be unemployed have been reassured to a very considerable extent in the past that if they experience a prolonged period of unemployment they will be able to with-stand it without undue hardship to themselves and their families since the introduction of pay-related benefit by this Government.
By Fianna Fáil.
The Parliamentary Secretary says he will be introducing legislation. I should like him to confirm that it is legislation and that whatever proposals he has in mind will require legislation?
Yes.
In doing that, would he advert to the fact that there are quite a number of people who do not qualify for pay-related benefit because of circumstances which occurred in the qualifying year? When he is introducing legislation, will he look at those cases in which pay-related benefit has been refused because of particular circumstances applying during the qualifying year? I wrote to him about a particular case.