asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he is aware that a mass investigation is being carried out by officers of his Department into the means of recipients of unemployment assistance in the Erris, Achill and Newport areas of North Mayo; and if he will state the reasons for this action.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Mayo Unemployment Assistance Recipients.
29.
While I am aware that there has been an increase recently in the total number of reinvestigations by officers of my Department into the means of recipients of unemployment assistance in the areas mentioned by the Deputy, I do not accept that the increase can be described as a mass investigation in the areas in question.
As the Deputy is aware, the means of holders of qualification certificates under the Unemployment Assistance Acts must be reviewed when any change occurs in the circumstances of a holder, e.g., acquirement of property, marriage, change of address. Periodic reviews must also be made of the means of persons who are self-employed. Apart from reviews made for those reasons, the means of a holder of a qualification certificate must also be reinvestigated if his circumstances have not been reviewed for a number of years.