asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will state in respect of each of the past five years the number of unemployment assistance qualification certificates applicable to holders in County Kerry reviewed by his Department, showing the number of cases in which, following means test, assistance was (a) withdrawn, (b) reduced and (c) increased.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Unemployment Assistance: Kerry Qualification Certificates.
16.
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 the holder of a qualification certificate must also be re-investigated if his circumstances have not been reviewed for a number of years.
As regards the information requested, records are available only from 1st September, 1957. The number of unemployment assistance cases in County Kerry reviewed by Officers of my Department in the discharge of their statutory duties in the two years ended 31st August 1958 and 1959, and in the six-month period ended 29th February, 1960, was 563, 767, and 630 respectively. Unemployment assistance was withdrawn in 53, 213, and 157 cases, respectively, reduced in 313, 367, and 285 cases respectively and increased in 41, 58, and 56 cases respectively.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 value for stock, crops etc., adopted in 1940. Since September, 1958, up to date values as are used for old age pension purposes, have been applied to the assessment of means for unemployment assistance purposes.