asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether his attention has been directed to the proposals of the Government of Northern Ireland to enact that, before unemployment insurance benefit can be drawn, three years' residence in Northern Ireland or Britain will be necessary; whether any reciprocal arrangement of this character has been made; and whether he intends to introduce proposals for legislation to provide that persons who are employed in businesses which are protected by import duties shall have been, for a prescribed period, residents of the Free State.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - NORTHERN GOVERNMENT'S UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFIT PROPOSALS.
The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative, and to the second and third parts in the negative.
The proposals of the Northern Government appear inconsistent with the International Convention providing for reciprocity in unemployment insurance and are not a desirable precedent to follow.
Is the Minister aware that the Minister of Labour in the Six County Parliament, speaking in support of this particular clause, stated that he was introducing this clause owing to the fact that they in the Six Counties lived in close proximity to the Free State, and did not desire workers to come from the Free State to work in the Six Counties. Is the Minister further aware that large numbers of workers in the shirt factories in Donegal are living at the present time in the Six Counties?
Yes.
Does the Minister propose to take any action in regard to it?
I cannot do anything about it.
That means that you are prepared to take this insult from the Northern Government lying down?
Not the first time.
It is not an insult to me.
It is an insult to the workers in Donegal and Tyrone.
It is not an insult to me or to this Parliament if certain workers who ordinarily work in the Free State go to live in the Six Counties. That is no insult.