asked the Minister for Social Welfare if there was any failure on the part of certain employers (details furnished) to stamp insurance cards; if so, if any employees were thereby deprived of social welfare benefit; if so, the number of employees concerned; and if his Department propose to make good the loss to the employees who paid their share of social welfare contributions.
Written Answers. - Stamping of Insurance Cards.
77.
There was no failure on the part of one of the employers concerned to stamp insurance cards but there was failure in the other case. As a result of the failure of that employer five employees, as far as can be ascertained, lost benefit. The company in question have ceased to trade and a liquidator or receiver has not so far been appointed. Accordingly there is, at present, no way open to my Department to recover the benefit lost. My Department are, however, keeping the matter under review with a view to taking whatever action is possible when a liquidator or receiver is appointed.
On the question of providing against loss of benefit by insured persons where employers fail to pay insurance contributions due I propose, as indicated in reply to previous questions, to amend the legislation at the earliest opportunity to ensure that no insured person, who is himself blameless in the matter, will lose benefit solely by reason of an employer's failure or neglect to pay insurance contributions due. In the meantime I am amending existing statutory regulations governing the payment and crediting of contributions which will have the effect of greatly reducing the number of cases in which loss of benefit can arise due to employers' failure to stamp insurance cards. I hope to have the revised regulations in force before long.