asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will abolish the requirement that small farmers in receipt of unemployment assistance have to register at the employment exchange or Garda station each week.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Unemployment Assistance.
66.
The arrangement that smallholders should attend once a week at either a local Office of my Department or a Garda station to make a declaration of unemployment is the minimum safeguard towards ensuring the fulfilment of the statutory conditions governing their entitlement to unemployment assistance which require that an applicant be unemployed, capable of and available for employment. It is not, therefore, proposed to alter or abolish the requirement.
Does the Parliamentary Secretary mean small farmers comprised of women as well as men?
The question relates to small farmers. I assume it would mean both ladies and gentlemen.
The regulations were changed a few years ago to allow small farmers whose valuations were under £4 to earn whatever they might find possible on their small farms and at the same time receive unemployment assistance and the principle of that was to allow them to work to the maximum their small farms.
This is not a question.
Is it not most unfair to take those people away from their small farms where they are allowed to have any income they wish——
Away from their work.
Yes. They are allowed to work as much as possible on their small farms, if their valuation is under £4——
We cannot have an argument in the case.
No reply.
I do not think it is unreasonable to require someone looking for unemployment assistance to sign once per week.
Even in the summertime?
Even in the wintertime.
67.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he is aware that the unemployment assistance means test is imposing serious hardship on many applicants; and when he proposes to review the matter.
I am not so aware, but if the Deputy gives me particulars of instances in which the unemployment means test seems to him to be causing serious hardship to applicants, I will be glad to have the cases investigated.
May I bring to the Parliamentary Secretary's attention the fact that an unemployed single man living at home is deprived of unemployment assistance by virtue of the fact that the income of the family is taken into consideration which means he is compelled to live on charity in the household and that he will have to move out to a hostel to avail of unemployment assistance, and it is not adequate to provide him with accommodation in a hostel?
The Deputy is making a statement.
I will look into that matter.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that a number of recent applicants for unemployment assistance in Mayo have had an assessment of £6 per week placed on them by deciding officers because they live at home and that this disqualifies them automatically for unemployment assistance?
I am not so aware.
If I give the Parliamentary Secretary details of this will he take up the matter?
Certainly.
68.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare why payment of unemployment assistance to a person (name supplied) in Finglas, Dublin, has been reduced.
The rate of unemployment assistance payable to the applicant was reduced as a result of the decision of a deciding officer increasing the assessment of the weekly rate of means from 7th February, 1973, as a result of the award to the applicant's wife of a disabled person's maintenance allowance from 15th October, 1972. The rate of unemployment assistance was subsequently increased from 4th July, 1973, in accordance with the provisions of the Social Welfare Act, 1973.
69.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will state the number of cases of persons receiving unemployment assistance of (1) less than £4 per week; (2) less than £3 per week; (3) less than £2 per week; (4) less than £1 per week.
I regret that I am unable to give the Deputy the information because statistics of this kind are not maintained in my Department.
The Parliamentary Secretary will see the need for more statistics being available in his Department. There certainly is a real need for this.
I can see a need for a number of improvements in the Department.