asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he is aware that in a number of cases employees, where employers have failed to stamp their insurance cards, are having difficulty and delays in obtaining unemployment benefit, because statements cannot be obtained from the employers in question; if this is in keeping with the spirit of the Act; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Stamping of Insurance Cards.
31.
The legislation dealing with the matter referred to by the Deputy provides that in certain circumstances credited insurance contributions may be awarded to insured persons where there has been failure to stamp their insurance cards. Before this can be done, however, it must be established that the contributions were, in fact, legally due and that failure to pay them did not occur with the consent or connivance of the insured persons or was not attributable to any negligence on their part.
These inquiries are dealt with as urgent matters more especially in cases where the insured person is claiming benefit and where his title to it is dependent on the crediting of contributions. While it would obviously be more satisfactory to obtain statements from employers in all such cases, these are, in fact, dispensed with where the investigating officer is satisfied on the basis of other evidence that the requirements of the legislation governing the crediting of unpaid contributions are met.
In general I think it true to say that such cases as the Deputy has in mind are being dealt with as sympathetically and as expeditiously as the constraints imposed by the law allow.