asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he is aware of the termination of the reciprocal arrangements that existed between the Saorstát Government and the British Government in connection with the Unemployment Insurance Acts; and whether he is aware of the suffering that is in consequence being put upon merchant seamen resident in the Saorstát who have been serving in British-owned vessels; if he is aware that the British Government is prepared to consider any proposal that the Saorstát Government may make; that the British Government and the Government of Northern Ireland are at present considering such an arrangement, and whether he will take up the matter with the British Government and the Government of Northern Ireland with a view to the same arrangement being made for residents of the Saorstát in accordance with powers given to him under Section 10 of the Unemployment Insurance Act, 1924.
CEISTEANNA.—QUESTIONS. [ORAL ANSWERS.] - MERCHANT SEAMEN AND UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE.
I am aware that reciprocal arrangements with the British Government have been terminated for the reason that the movement of labour from the Saorstát to employment in Great Britain, where the contributions are paid, is considerable, while movement in the reverse direction is negligible. The result under the reciprocal arrangements was that the bulk of the contributions were paid into the British Unemployment Fund, but the greater part of the benefit had to be paid out of the Saorstát Fund, and no financial adjustment would be agreed to by the British Government. It is not the absence of reciprocal arrangements that causes any suffering to merchant seamen resident in the Saorstát, as seamen so resident serving in British-owned vessels are not legally liable nor entitled to pay contributions at all. I have always been ready to make reciprocal arrangements on a basis fair to both countries, but my proposals for that purpose have not hitherto been accepted. The fact is that neither the British Government nor the Northern Government has shown any real disposition to consider the only kind of arrangement that would be approximately reciprocal, namely, one to provide for the country which has to pay the benefit being credited with the value of the contributions.
Can the Minister say what is to become of, roughly, 2,200 men who are affected by this question, and are they to be thrown aside and get no benefit either from the Northern Government, the British Government, or the Irish Free State Government?
The Deputy speaks of seamen?
Yes.
The position with regard to seamen is, as I have previously stated, that they are not legally liable or entitled to pay contributions, and, as they do not pay contributions, they cannot get benefit.