asked the Minister for Social Welfare if, in view of the extenuating circumstances, he will restore unemployment assistance to the 58 claimants on Arranmore Island, County Donegal, pending a decision on their appeals.
Written Answers. - Unemployment Assistance.
72.
I presume the Deputy's question refers to persons on Arranmore Island to whom payment of unemployment assistance or unemployment benefit was discontinued because of a deciding officer's decision that they were disqualified from receiving such payments on the statutory grounds that they were either not genuinely seeking work or had refused an offer of suitable employment.
The persons concerned have the right to appeal against the deciding officer's decision and where they have done so arrangements are being made to have an oral hearing of their cases before an appeals officer. Each appellant will be notified of the date, time and place of the hearing at which it will be open to him to attend and give evidence on his own behalf.
Deciding officers and appeals officers are statutorily appointed and the Deputy will appreciate that where persons have been disqualified from receiving payment of unemployment assistance or unemployment benefit by these officers in the course of exercising their statutory functions I have no power to intervene in the matter.