asked the Minister for Social Welfare the present position regarding the case of a person in County Donegal (name supplied), a shirt factory worker, who has been claiming unemployment benefit since 12th August, 1974.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Donegal Factory Worker.
28.
The person concerned had her claim to unemployment benefit disallowed by a deciding officer on the grounds that she was not available for employment. She appealed against the decision. Following an oral hearing of her appeal at which she attended and gave evidence, the appeals officer upheld the decision of the deciding officer.
This lady is a shirt factory worker. There is a lot of unemployment and redundancy in that business in Donegal. The fact that I have a question to the Minister for Industry and Commerce—Question No. 182—would probably confirm that the Minister is aware of this. In these circumstances, would the Parliamentary Secretary withdraw the statement that this lady is not available for work? Purely and simply, there is no work available.
As the Deputy is aware, I did not determine that this lady was not available for work. This was decided by a deciding officer and on appeal that decision was upheld by an appeals officer. I have no jurisdiction over deciding officers or appeals officers and I am sure the Deputy would agree that that should be the case.
If I can produce evidence to the Parliamentary Secretary to prove that work is not available will he accept that or will he accept the report of the investigating officer?
I am afraid the Deputy does not understand the situation. It is not a question of my accepting or not accepting. By legislation passed by this House, I have no jurisdiction over deciding officers or appeals officers and cannot direct them to find for or against a person. I think the Deputy would agree that it is not desirable that I should have such authority.
In an area where hundreds of girls and women are being paid off and are becoming unemployed and redundant, would the Parliamentary Secretary indicate what remedy there is if an official of his Department says that there is work when everybody in the area knows that there is no work? What does the Parliamentary Secretary suggest that I should do about it other than bring it to his notice?
Is the Deputy aware of all the circumstances of the case? I am quite sure that a deciding officer and an appeals officer would undoubtedly take those very relevant factors into consideration in their findings. I think the Deputy has more information on the case than the form of his supplementary questions would imply.
No, I have not If the Minister has additional information——
I should be glad to give the Deputy the full details.
I should be glad to get them privately.
29.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare why a married man (details supplied) in County Donegal has been deprived of unemployment assistance for the past nine weeks.
This person was in receipt of unemployment assistance on the basis of means of 35p a week, giving him a weekly payment of £27.60 at current rates. Payment was suspended pending necessary reinvestigation of his means, especially from landholdings disclosed in the course of inquiry into an application for a qualification certificate made by a son of the recipient. Because of delay which has occurred in making the reinvestigation, and in order to avoid any consequential hardship, payment has been restored on the basis of a weekly rate of means provisionally taken at £3. The restored rate of payment is £24.95, which will be appropriately adjusted on completion of the reinvestigation.