Vol. 415 No. 9
202 Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister for Social Welfare if his attention has been drawn to the fact that his Department refuses to pay unemployment assistance to persons who because they decide to live in isolated rural areas where the possibilities of gaining employment are slim are deemed to be unavailable for work and are consequently deemed to be ineligible for unemployment assistance; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Among the statutory conditions to be satisfied by applicants for receipt of an unemployment payment is that they must be available for work and they must make genuine efforts to obtain it. The entitlement of all claimants is reviewed from time to time to determine whether they continue to satisfy these conditions which apply equally to all categories of claimants irrespective of where they reside.
In accordance with the legislation, claimants are required to make reasonable efforts to make themselves available for and seek work for which they are qualified by reference to their skills, education and previous work experience. This can only be determined by reference to the circumstances of each particular claimant.
In relation to place of residence it has from time to time come to the notice of the Department that certain claimants with considerable levels of education and work experience are opting to transfer residence, often from urban to remote rural areas, where the opportunities for them to obtain employment for which they are best qualified are very poor.
