asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he received a copy of a resolution passed some months ago by the County Clare Committee of Agriculture with reference to providing reproductive work for able-bodied persons in receipt of unemployment benefits; and, if so, if any proposals in this connection have been under consideration and what steps it is proposed to take to give effect to them.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Resolution of Clare Committee of Agriculture.
I have seen a newspaper report of a resolution passed by the County Clare Committee of Agriculture in November last, which I assume to be the one to which the Deputy refers. As the Deputy is aware, schemes for the relief of unemployment have been undertaken on a considerable scale in various parts of the country. There is not, however, any power under existing legislation to require recipients of either unemployment insurance benefit or unemployment assistance to perform work as a condition of receiving such benefit or assistance.