asked the Minister for Finance whether it is proposed to make any grant available for the relief of the serious unemployment problem which exists in the Monasterevan-Kildangan area.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Unemployment in County Kildare.
The number of unemployment assistance recipients in the Monasterevan-Kildangan area is not such as would warrant the allocation of a grant from the provision for the relief of unemployment.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that in this particular area there must be close on 200 unemployed persons who have no prospect of getting employment for Christmas? Will he cause a special inquiry to be made from the Deputies of his own Party who represent the Kildare constituency to ascertain the urgent need for a grant in the area, and will he make that grant available to relieve the plight of these unemployed persons?
The grants for the relief of unemployment are based on the number of unemployed in the particular electoral division or area on the preceding January and the figures here show that in 1950 in Monasterevan town and the electoral division of Kildangan was 12; in 1951, 49; in 1952, ten, and on that basis a grant cannot be made available.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware of the fact that the unemployment position in that area is so bad that a deputation recently came from the area to put the facts before the Kildare County Council and the council, having learned the facts, asked the three Deputies representing the constituency to interview the Minister for Local Government with a view to getting a grant? In view of the fact that the Kildare County Council was satisfied that the existence of acute unemployment in the area showed the urgent need for a grant, will the Parliamentary Secretary make some special inquiries into the matter?
The unemployment grant only covers unemployment assistance recipients and not unemployment insurance benefit recipients.