asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will consider raising the domestic rate of social welfare contributions to that of the industrial rate so that domestic employees may qualify for all benefits.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Social Welfare Contributions.
7.
In the case of women engaged in domestic service the rate of employment contribution payable is lower than the ordinary rate but, nevertheless, such women can qualify for all benefits provided under the Social Welfare Acts. In the matter of unemployment benefit, however, qualification is subject to the satisfaction of special contribution conditions. I do not propose to alter the existing position.
Does the Minister not consider that domestic employees are being victimised in that particular regard in view of the fact that the contribution which they are paying is practically identical to that paid by industrial workers and is it not grossly unfair to prevent and prohibit domestic employees from availing of unemployment benefit when the need arises?
I do not think there would be many people seriously inconvenienced in this case. In fact, there would be very few. The position was considerably improved, as the Deputy probably knows, in 1966.
Is it not true that the condition for a domestic servant to qualify for unemployment benefit is ten years stamps? Is it not also true that the only reason that proviso is still there is to ensure there would be a cheap supply of domestic labour, to keep down domestic servants' wages, because if they could draw unemployment benefit they would not be prepared to work for what is at present being paid to some of them, a ridiculously low wage?
Deputy Tully always makes that point.
Some time or other I hope it will sink in.
I do not agree with it at all. I know that the extra contribution is required and the average is higher for the number of years in accordance with the age but it is not correct to say what Deputy Tully has said. I think it is quite a good situation at the present time— anybody employing domestic help will not get them unless they pay well and that is very good. I think that is well known to everybody.
Question No. 8.
Does the Minister consider it right that domestic employees should be victimised in this particular manner?
There is no question of victimisation in it at all.