asked the Minister for Social Welfare if in the interest of private forestry development he will take the necessary steps to provide that men in receipt of unemployment assistance may work during the winter months at private planting without forfeiting this assistance.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Forestry Workers' Unemployment Assistance.
5.
The answer is in the negative. The underlying principle of the Unemployment Assistance Scheme is that unemployment assistance should be payable only in respect of periods of proved involuntary unemployment.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware there is great scarcity of labour for the tree planting scheme? If some scheme could be devised whereby those unemployed labourers could be employed on this very profitable work of tree planting, it would be of great benefit to the State.
I understand the nature of the Deputy's question is that these men should be given unemployment assistance and at the same time employed in forestry work for which the State pays a subsidy of £20 per acre.