asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether he is aware that a number of persons formerly resident in Éire who, following the withdrawal of their residence permits by the Government of Northern Ireland, were obliged to return to this State and are now unemployed, are unable to obtain unemployment insurance benefit in respect of their contributions under the Unemployment Insurance Acts in Northern Ireland; whether he is aware that the persons concerned, together with many thousands of other workers, paid unemployment contributions in Northern Ireland over a period of years and that there are large sums of money to their credit in the Northern Ireland Unemployment Insurance Fund; and if he will state whether, in the circumstances, he will endeavour to secure an agreement in the near future, which will entitle the person referred to to obtain benefits in this State in respect of the contributions paid by them during the period of their employment in Northern Ireland.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Unemployment Insurance Agreement.
The position is that no arrangement at present exists under which unemployment benefit could be paid in this country in respect of unemployment insurance contributions paid into the British or Northern Ireland Unemployment Funds. Proposals which were made to the British Government, under which benefit in respect of such contributions would be payable to Irish workers who are unemployed on their return here, are it is understood under consideration.
Will the Minister say when the last communication was received from the British Government on that subject?
December, 1945.