asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether Mr. John Power, of 5 Grattan Terrace, Fermoy, County Cork, was refused unemployment benefit by the referee appointed under the Unemployment Insurance Acts to consider such applications, and, if so, for what reason.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - FERMOY UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFIT CLAIM.
On a claim dated the 12th January, 1927, Mr. John Power received unemployment benefit up to and including the 18th May, 1927. It was then found that his circumstances were such that he was not entitled to benefit after the 13th of March, 1927. Consequently his claim was disallowed as from that date, and he was required to repay the benefit which he had received but to which he was not entitled. He appealed to the Court of Referees both in regard to the disallowance of his claim as from the 14th of March and also the order requiring him to repay the benefit to which he was not entitled. The Court of Referees found that he was not unemployed and consequently not entitled to benefit on or after the 14th of March, 1927, and accordingly recommended that his claim should be disallowed as from that date. On his second appeal against the order to repay benefit which he had received while he was not entitled to benefit, the Court recommended that the amount should be repaid.
On the 1st February, this year, Mr. Power lodged a further claim, which has been allowed, but as he has not repaid the benefit he received on the 1927 claim, the amount is now being deducted from the benefit accruing on his present claim. When the claimant has paid back the amount which he owes to the Unemployment Fund, he will receive any benefit still due on his claim; otherwise any benefit that has or may in future become due to him will be set off against his debt to the Unemployment Fund.
Does the Parliamentary Secretary consider it just that when those unfortunate men who are unemployed for a long period try to earn a few shillings at fishing their unemployment benefit should be stopped because of that?
This is a case of simply asking to repay what he drew and was not entitled to.
It was previously stopped because he happened to catch a few fish.
Is it the reason given for withholding this unemployment benefit that the man was fishing on the Blackwater for salmon?
He fished for unemployment benefit to which he was not entitled, and he hooked it.