Edward Nealon
Question:70 Mr. Nealon asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Sligo is not being paid unemployment benefit as before despite the fact that she has only part-time work.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
The person concerned applied for unemployment benefit on 18 March 1993. She works on a part-time basis.
Under the legislation which extended PRSI cover to some 27,000 part-time workers, mainly women, people whose normal working pattern has been part-time must establish that they have incurred a substantial loss of employment. This is usually established by reference to the 13 weeks preceding the period of a claim. The person concerned has been working for an average of under two days per week since at least August 1992.
In weeks in which she only receives one day's work or does not work at all, she is entitled to unemployment benefit.
The person concerned has not applied for unemployment assistance which can potentially be more favourable in these situations. It is understood that her husband is employed and his income would have a bearing on any entitlement to unemployment assistance.