asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state whether he is aware that applicants for unemployment assistance who agreed to accept the offer of employment in the Construction Corps, but who were rejected on medical grounds, have then been offered employment at Clonsast, and have been refused unemployment assistance because they declined this work, the refusal being on the grounds that they were medically unfit for work at Clonsast; and if he will state who has defined the difference in standard of fitness required for work at Clonsast and in the Construction Corps respectively, and on what this difference in standard is based.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Refusal of Unemployment Assistance.
Unemployment assistance cannot be paid legally to any applicant for whom suitable employment is available. Whether or not employment offering is suitable for any individual applicant is determined in accordance with the Unemployment Assistance Acts on the facts of the case regard being had to age, physique, education, normal occupation, place of residence and family circumstances. I am aware of only one case in which the applicant was offered and refused employment in Clonsast bog following his rejection for the Construction Corps on the grounds of medical unfitness. This applicant, though accepted by the employer, following an examination by a medical officer, had refused an earlier offer of employment in Clonsast bog. He again refused this employment and his application for unemployment assistance was disallowed. The standards of fitness required for work in Clonsast bog and in the Construction Corps were fixed by the respective employers. In the case of the Construction Corps, the standard is laid down in Defence Force Regulations 80 and 88 of 1940. The standards of fitness are related to the requirements of the employers. The difference in the standards is due to their different requirements.
Does the Parliamentary Secretary think that a person who is declared to be medically unfit for work in the Construction Corps can be regarded as medically fit to go down and work on a bog?
A man may be quite unfit for certain reasons for the Construction Corps and yet be fit for work at Clonsast.
Will the Parliamentary Secretary say what steps are taken before deciding that a person who has been declared unfit for the Construction Corps is fit for work at Clonsast and before unemployment assistance is withheld from him?
I stated in my reply that it is determined "on the facts of the case, regard being had to age, physique, education, normal occupation, place of residence, and family circumstances."
Will the Parliamentary Secretary say what type of official or qualified person decides upon these facts?
The Department of Industry and Commerce should be fully qualified to inquire into it. They are doing it every day and out of 18,000 people on the register there is only one complaint. That seems to be a record.
Does the Parliamentary Secretary not understand that it is a real matter for grievance for a young man, who offers to join the Construction Corps and is turned down on medical grounds, that he should be refused unemployment assistance?
There are two sides to every tale. I have given you the information that is at my disposal and as I understand it there is not a matter for grievance.