asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if any agreement has been made, or will be made with the British authorities for the stamping of the employment cards, and national health insurance cards of citizens of Éire now temporarily resident and temporarily employed in Great Britain; if he will state whether such stamps will be of any value to the Irish citizens concerned when they return to their homes in Ireland; if such stamps will keep them in benefit and entitle them to draw insurance benefits and national health benefits when unemployed or on the sick list when they return home; and if not, if he will make arrangements to secure for those now away from home full protection, that will enable them immediately on their return home to participate in all forms of insurance and social legislation now in operation in Éire.
Ceisteanna.—Questions. Oral Answers. - Irish Workers in Great Britain.
Mr. Byrne
With regard to the first part of the Deputy's question the position is that contributions under the British Unemployment Insurance and National Health Insurance Acts are payable by persons engaged in Great Britain in employments insurable under those Acts respectively.
With regard to the second and third parts of the question reciprocal arrangements exist between this country and Great Britain under which national health insurance benefit may be paid to residents of this country in respect of contributions paid for them in Great Britain, but there are no such arrangements for the purpose of unemployment insurance. Efforts which have been made from time to time by the Irish Government to establish reciprocal arrangements for unemployment insurance have not been successful.
Mr. Byrne
Is the Minister aware that if something happened that would bring to an end the emergency work in England, 57,000 Irishmen working there, if they came home, would find themselves disqualified from all benefits in this country? In view of the seriousness of that, will the Minister follow up the idea of getting a reciprocal arrangement between the two Governments?
The matter has been followed up continuously.
Will the Minister say when the matter was last reopened with the British Administration?
Last week.
Has the Minister any reason to hope that the British Administration will be sympathetic to an arrangement?
The Deputy cannot expect a reply to that question. We are always hoping.
As the British are so keen on recruiting workers for employment in Great Britain, I think the least they ought to do is to make it possible for us to implement a reciprocal arrangement by which our workmen when they return here will be able to get unemployment insurance benefit either from our unemployment insurance fund or the British unemployment insurance fund.
The Deputy may be assured that every relevant argument will be used.
Mr. Byrne
Will the Minister consider the desirability of himself making a contribution which would cover the cost of stamps for the Irish unemployment insurance fund so that these men may be qualified when they come home to receive benefit?
The present Government introduced an employment assistance code which went a very long way to remove the hardships caused by the lack of a reciprocal arrangement. I will be introducing legislation to amend the unemployment insurance code here in respect of workers who have been in benefit under the Unemployment Insurance Fund here, and who have lost the right to benefit by reason of prolonged absence during the emergency. That is an amendment which will only benefit a limited number of the workers concerned in the matter to which the Deputy is referring. The great majority of the workers who have gone to Great Britain in recent months were not in benefit here under the Unemployment Insurance Acts previously.
Mr. Byrne
The Minister has not answered the question I raised: Will he give a contribution to the fund which will pay the 9d. each week for each man while he is away, so that all these men may be qualified for benefit when they come home?