asked the Minister for Social Welfare whether, further to a reply of 5th February, any further consultations have been held with a view to the increasing of wet time insurance payments to an equitable level; if so, what is the present position with regard to such consultations; and whether, in view of the present inequitable position whereby a man who remains in employment and receives wet time insurance payments is considerably less well off than a man who is laid-off and receives unemployment benefit, he will take immediate steps to increase wet time insurance payments.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Wet Time Insurance Payments.
36.
Since 5th February, officers of my Department have made further consultations with trade union representatives. They have also had discussions with employers' representatives. The views expressed at these meetings are being examined together with other relevant factors in connection with proposals for increases in wet time benefits at present under consideration.
As I have already explained to the Deputy, wet time benefit and unemployment benefit are not strictly comparable. The former is intended to compensate an insured person for loss of wages in respect of hours of broken employment and the latter is a payment in respect of total unemployment.
Surely the Minister is aware that the recent spell of cold weather caused total unemployment for a considerable number of people and that they had to live on the mere pittance they got from wet time insurance?
The fact that it was not revised was not due to any neglect in my Department.
The Minister said the Congress of Trade Unions——
The Dublin Trades Council.
In fact, it was the Dublin Trades Council.
I do not think I mentioned the Irish Congress of Trade Unions.