asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state what is the cause of the delay in paying unemployment assistance benefit to Mr. Francis Byrne, Staplestown Road, Carlow.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Unemployment Assistance Benefit Claim.
There is no unemployment assistance due to Mr. Byrne. His application for unemployment assistance was refused on the grounds that he did not satisfy the statutory condition for the receipt of unemployment assistance which requires an applicant to be genuinely seeking and unable to obtain suitable employment.
In what respect does Mr. Byrne fail to satisfy the statutory conditions?
The fact is that work is available to him and that he is not prepared to accept it. In that respect, Mr. Byrne did not satisfy the statutory condition. He refused to accept employment.
Mr. Byrne has been refused unemployment assistance because of his disinclination to join the Construction Corps. His reason for so declining is the fact that, normally, he can obtain a substantial amount of work. He does not desire to join the Construction Corps because, during the summer, work will be available for him. He is anxious to obtain that work and is willing to accept it. Will the Parliamentary Secretary make sure that the Unemployment Assistance Act will be administered in such a way that persons genuinely anxious to obtain work, as Mr. Byrne, to my knowledge, definitely is, will not be deprived of benefit merely because they refuse to join the Construction Corps?
Nobody is deprived of benefit who is genuinely seeking work but we cannot allow Deputy Norton to put a premium on idleness.
After that disgraceful and irresponsible statement by the Parliamentary Secretary—a statement quite unworthy of his office and of the platform he is using to make it—will he say what offer of employment was made to and refused by Mr. Byrne?