asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state why unemployment assistance has not been paid to Mr. Patrick White, Bogarriff, Whitegate, County Clare, and if he is aware that this man has a qualification certificate for seven shillings a week.
Ceisteanna.—Questions. Oral Answers. - Unemployment Assistance Claim.
Information reached the local office of my Department which necessitated the investigation of Mr. Patrick White's application for unemployment assistance. When the necessarily protracted inquiries which followed were completed, it was found that the applicant had been representing himself as unemployed and drawing unemployment assistance whilst he was in employment, and therefore not entitled to payment. It then became necessary to disallow the payment wrongfully obtained by the applicant, and to deduct the amount from any assistance to which he subsequently became entitled. The necessary adjustment has now been made, and Mr. White will at an early date receive payment of any assistance to which he has become entitled, less the amount already wrongfully received by him.
I am aware that the weekly rate of unemployment assistance to which the applicant is entitled, provided he satisfies the statutory conditions for the receipt of assistance, and is free from statutory disqualification, is 7/- per week.