asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he has received a complaint from C. Phelan, Maryboro' Road, Mountrath, Leix, regarding his refusal to pay unemployment insurance benefit on the grounds that the man concerned was not unemployed during the period referred to; whether he is aware that Phelan can produce witnesses to prove that he was unemployed and unable to secure work, and whether, in view of this, he will reconsider his previous decision and authorise payment of the amount claimed.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - MOUNTRATH UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFIT COMPLAINT.
Inquiroes have been made on behalf of Mr. C. Phelan, of Maryboro' Road, Mountrath, in connection with a claim to unemployment insurance benefit which he made on the 28th April, 1925. As already explained in the letter addressed by the Department to the Deputy on the 21st September, 1925, that claim was disallowed by the Insurance Officer on the grounds that the claimant was not unemployed and not unable to obtain suitable employment. Mr. Phelan appealed against the decision to the Court of Referees, which, having considered the matter, recommended that benefit be disallowed. The Insurance Officer accepted the Court's recommendation. The claim accordingly remains finally disallowed, but if any more material facts which were not before the Insurance Officer and the Court of Referees when the claim was considered by them, are put forward, they have power to reconsider the matter. In the correspondence that has taken place in reference to the disallowance of this claim no new evidence has been put forward.