Eoin Ryan
Question:6 Mr. E. Ryan asked the Minister for Social Welfare the method of calculation of means for seasonal workers, such as dockers, who apply for unemployment assistance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13955/95]
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
Dockers are generally employed on a casual rather than a seasonal basis and in most cases satisfy the contribution conditions for receipt of unemployment benefit for the days they are not working.
Dockers who exhaust their entitlement to 390 days unemployment benefit require a further 13 paid contributions to requalify for benefit; while obtaining the necessary requalifying contributions they may claim means tested unemployment assistance. Other dockers who do not satisfy the contribution conditions for unemployment benefit may also claim assistance. Account is taken of means from insurable earnings in determining the rate of assistance payable.
The reply is short and disingenuous. Will the Minister of State confirm that if an ordinary worker works for three days and is off for two days he can claim unemployment assistance for the two days he is off, but if a docker works for three days and is off for two, his income is calculated on the three days he worked? A sum of £15 and one sixth of the social welfare rate appropriate to the person is deducted. If someone was earning £62.50 per week you would deduct £15 and £10. In that way they calculate means which often results in a casual worker such as a docker not being entitled to unemployment assistance on days not worked whereas people in other categories with the same income would be so entitled. Will the Minister confirm if he considers that to be a fair system?
The Deputy should refer to his colleague who was in the ministry. It was during his era that the clause was introduced. I appreciate the point made by the Deputy. It is one which I made on many occasions. Dockers are not regarded as seasonal workers in the ordinary way and the question as framed implies that they are. Generally speaking, they are regarded as casual workers. While I appreciate the points made by the Deputy, the matter has arisen in the past number of years as a result of legislative changes made about two and a half years ago. I do not wish to be revisionist but that is the origin of the problem. We must look at the position as it affects dockers. I met some of their representative groups and consideration is being given to identifying ways to overcome the problems raised by the Deputy. At this stage it would be inappropriate to proceed further until the report is available.
On a point of order, I asked the Chair to look into the matter of the Minister for Social Welfare not answering specific questions. The House has been further insulted by the Minister leaving it, without explanation, after answering four questions. The standards of the House are important. It is my understanding that you, as Ceann Comhairle, have an obligation to uphold the standards of this House. When parliamentary questions are tabled to a specific Minister that Minister should at least afford this House the courtesy of being present. Members would understand an explanation for absence but to slink out of the House without explanation is not good enough.
I trust Deputy Joe Walsh is not seeking to confer omnipotent powers on the Chair. I cannot prevent Members from coming or going in this House; that is their privilege.
I am not talking about Members but rather about the Minister for Social Welfare being absent from Question Time in respect of social welfare question.
I must ask Deputy Joe Walsh to recall at least one occasion when he was on this side of the House and had to leave for a very compelling engagement abroad. The Minister has to fulfil a compelling prior engagement and does so with regret because he wanted to remain to answer these questions.
All I wanted was a simple explanation, to show courtesy to this House.
Can we revert now to Question Time?
The Minister of State has given the impression that most dockers are employed casually whereas many of them are not only employed casually but also seasonally; certainly in places like Galway, dockers will be laid off for two or three months at a time. Does the Minister of State think it tolerable that during those periods such dockers are not entitled to any unemployment assistance and are expected to live on the income they have earned from casual employment in better times of the year? Is the Minister aware of any other group of workers expected to survive without the assistance of any social welfare or other payment during their periods of unemployment?
I said generally dockers were regarded as casual workers, which is the position. I do not accept that anybody who is not in gainful employment should have to exist on nothing. I might remind the Deputy that position was the direct responsibility of his party colleague when in Government. My Department is endeavouring to ascertain by what means it can address problems caused to dockers in those circumstances by previous legislation, whereby their earned income in any given year was assessed in determining their eligibility for unemployment assistance. That legislation was introduced by the Deputy's party colleague. We hope to address it in due course.