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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 15 Feb 1939

Vol. 74 No. 5

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Unemployment Assistance Claim.

asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state why unemployment assistance is not being paid to John Pitt, Maudlintown, Wexford (Certificate No. Y2138).

In order to be entitled to unemployment assistance an applicant resident in an area which is an urban area within the meaning of the Unemployment Assistance Acts must have been resident in such urban area for at least one year immediately preceding the date of his application or alternatively must have had at least three months' employment in such urban area during that period. Mr. Pitt has been resident in the urban area of Wexford only since the 24th December last and he does not, therefore, fulfil the residence qualification. Neither does he fulfil the alternative employment qualification, and unless and until he satisfies one or the other of these alternative provisions he cannot qualify for the receipt of unemployment assistance.

Arising out of the Minister's reply, I want to know if the Minister is aware that this man lived in a row of houses, some of which were inside and some of which were outside the urban boundary, and that his house was only two removed from the urban area; that he had to seek shelter from a relative within the boundary because of the fact that his house was blown down in one of the storms before Christmas and, in view of these facts, will the Minister not direct that he should be paid unemployment assistance?

The Act does not allow me any discretion in the matter.

Then I think the sooner the Act is amended the better.

Cannot this man, John Pitt, be regarded constructively as living in the house he is in now before the house he was in was blown down?

As far as I know, that cannot be done.

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