asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he is satisfied that a claim for unemployment benefit made by a person (details supplied) in County Galway was properly disallowed.
Written Answers. - Unemployment Benefit.
140.
The claim for unemployment benefit made by the person concerned on 19th November, 1975, was disallowed by a deciding officer on the ground that she did not satisfy the statutory condition which requires a claimant to be available for employment. She appealed against this decision and attended an oral hearing of her case before an appeals officer at which she gave evidence on her own behalf. The appeals officer on the evidence furnished was not satisfied that she was available for employment and upheld the decision of the deciding officer. Her subsequent representations were referred to the appeals officer who indicated that they contained no new facts or new evidence which would warrant a revision of his decision.
The Deputy will appreciate that the determination of claims for unemployment benefit is a matter for statutorily appointed deciding officers and appeals officers and that neither the Minister nor anyone else can give instructions to those officers in the exercise of that function.