asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will state (a) the number of unemployment assistance cases reviewed by officers of his Department in County Kerry in each of the past two years, (b) the number of cases in which assistance was reduced and (c) the number of cases in which payment of assistance was discontinued.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Kerry Unemployment Assistance Cases.
19.
As the Deputy is aware, the means of holders of qualification certificates must be reviewed when any change occurs in the circumstances of a holder e.g. acquirement of property, marriage, change of address. The means of self-employed persons must also be re-examined periodically. Apart from the other reasons mentioned the means of a holder of a qualification certificate must also be re-investigated if his circumstances have not been reviewed for a number of years.
The number of unemployment assistance cases in County Kerry reviewed by officers of my Department, in the discharge of their statutory duties, in each of the two years ended 30th November, 1958 and 1959 was 535 and 963 respectively. Unemployment assistance was reduced in 303 cases and 463 cases respectively, and discontinued in 64 and 242 cases respectively.
Prior to September, 1958, the assessment of means for unemployment assistance purposes, where such were derived from the occupation of land, was based on values for stock, crops etc., adopted in 1940. Since September, 1958, up-to-date values, as are used for old age pensions purposes, have been applied to the assessment of means for unemployment assistance purposes.