To ask the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether his attention has been called to the inconvenience and loss to workers entitled to unemployment insurance by the regulations which require them to travel long distances to the Employment Exchanges; and whether he will consider the advisability of utilising the local post offices for the purpose of paying unemployment insurance.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. - UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE.
TOMAS MAC EOIN
Mr. J. McGRATH
The regulations applying to claimants of unemployment benefit are devised so as to minimise inconvenience so far as is consistent with reasonable economy and with proper safeguards in administration. Claimants living six miles or over from the nearest Employment Exchange or Branch Employment Office are required to attend once only, and are thereafter paid by post. If the claimant lives less than six miles and more than four miles away, he attends once a week; less than four and more than 2, on alternative days. To utilise local post offices in addition to the existing local office of the Ministry for the payment of benefit would involve an increase in administration expenses, which would not be justified in present circumstances.