Vol. 411 No. 5
96 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Kildare was refused unemployment assistance; if he has satisfied himself that the person should now be assessed with earnings allegedly derived from his brothers's income; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The person concerned claimed unemployment assistance in August 1988 and again in February 1990. These claims were disallowed by a deciding officer on the grounds that he had failed to disclose full details of his means, especially in relation to redundancy payments which he had received and in relation to the income of the farm on which he resides with his brother. He appealed against the disallowance in 1988 and the appeals officer upheld the deciding officers decision.
He claimed unemployment assistance again in February 1991 and following investigation by the social welfare officer, his claim was again disallowed by an appeals officer on 10 June 1991. This decision was based on the grounds that he had failed to show that his yearly means did not exceed the statutory limit for receipt of a qualification certification. Under social welfare legislation, claimants for unemployment assistance are assessed with the value of any benefit or privilege. In this case the person concerned is residing on a farm and is believed to be receiving support from his brother. In these circumstances, an assessment of the annual value of the farm is required before the means of the person concerned can be determined.
Decisions by appeals officers are final and conclusive. If the person concerned is now willing to disclose his means he should contact his local office with a view to having his case reviewed.
97 Mr. Yates asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he has any proposals to change the eligibility criteria whereby those in receipt of lone parent's allowance as well as those in receipt of unemployment assistance or unemployment benefit may benefit from the VTO scheme operated at vocational schools in view of the potential for self-development that this provides for such participants; and if he will review the case of a person (details supplied) in County Wexford.
The vocational training opportunities scheme (VTOS), which was launched in 1989, allowed the long term unemployed, i.e. those unemployed for 15 months or more, who were aged 21 years or over to attend a leaving certificate type course and still receive an allowance equivalent to their unemployment payments.
I have improved and expanded the scheme since 1989 and, from September this year, persons who have been "signing on" for at least 12 months or who are on the live register but not in receipt of a payment, are eligible to apply. These improvements mean that for the first time recipients of unemployment benefit may participate in the VTOS as well as those who are signing for credits only, mainly married women. The VTOS now operates in up to 53 centres which can accommodate 1,060 participants.
The Programme for Economic and Social Progress provides for improvements in the range of options, opportunities and incentives to the unemployed, lone parents and other social welfare categories aimed at their return, where appropriate, to the work-force. The question of the further extension of the education schemes to include categories such as lone parents will be examined in that context.
