Léim ar aghaidh chuig an bpríomhábhar
Gnáthamharc

Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 25 Mar 1925

Vol. 10 No. 17

CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE.

asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state what are his intentions with regard to unemployment insurance, in view of the approaching expiry of the Fourth Benefit Year under the Unemployment Insurance (No. 2) Act, 1924, and whether he intends to introduce a further Unemployment Insurance Bill.

No decision has yet been taken to provide for any special extension of unemployment benefit on the termination of the Fourth Benefit Year. It will be necessary to ascertain the number of persons then unemployed as compared with the number who will still be entitled to benefit.

In the present state of the Unemployment Fund, which is in debt to an amount considerably over £1,000,000, any extension of benefit beyond the provision that will be available under existing Acts on the termination of the Fourth Benefit Year requires most serious consideration.

Can the Minister say whether that most serious consideration has been given up to now, in view of the prospect that everybody realises is before us?

Yes. Consideration has been given to it, but the outstanding item is what I have referred to in the second sentence of my answer. It will be necessary to ascertain the number of persons employed at the termination of the Fourth Benefit Year, compared with the number who will still be entitled to benefit.

Barr
Roinn