With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 8 and 9 together.
The decision as to whether in any case a day is a day of unemployment for the purposes of the Social Welfare Acts is a matter for determination in the light of the circumstances of the particular case by a statutorily appointed deciding officer and, in the event of an appeal, by an appeals officer, similarly appointed, whose decision is final.
Lay-offs of workers on a day-to-day basis occurred in the week ended Saturday 15th April, 1972, as a result of the shortage which began on Wednesday of that week in the supply of electric power by the ESB. The generality of workers concerned were conditioned to a five-day week, Monday to Friday. It was held by deciding officers that the Saturday mentioned was not a day of unemployment in the circumstances described—subject to exception in certain situations, for example, short-time or casual employment, depending on the facts and circumstances in the particular case. Whether unemployment benefit is or has been payable to workers so laid off depends on satisfaction of the usual contribution and other statutory conditions for entitlement, including the incidence, if any, of "waiting days" on the individual duration of the lay-off. In this connection, it appears that the emergency management of the available power supply enabled the majority of the workers in question to return to their jobs on Monday 17th April, before the waiting periods affecting their claims had terminated.
As I have indicated, a claimant who is dissatisfied with a decision of a deciding officer in his case has the right of appeal to an appeals officer. I am not empowered to intervene at either level of determination of the claim.
Statistics are not kept as to the number or classification of decisions on claims to unemployment benefit. Because in the situation under question, the timing and duration of the lay-offs varied substantially, it is not feasible to estimate the numbers of workers affected in any meaningful way by the deciding officers' decisions in relation to Saturday, 15th April, 1972.