asked the Minister for Social Welfare why a person in County Laois (name supplied) who has no means whatsoever suffers a weekly deduction of £3.70 in his unemployment assistance.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Unemployment Assistance.
22.
The maximum rate of unemployment assistance is not payable to the person concerned as his weekly rate of means, consisting of his intestacy interest in a holding, was assessed at £3.70 by a deciding officer and this assessment was confirmed on appeal. On the basis of this rate of means, the applicant would be entitled to unemployment assistance at the weekly rate of £4.05, subject to the usual conditions for receiving it. An appeals officer's decision is final in the absence of new facts or fresh evidence.
Could the Parliamentary Secretary indicate the size of holding and the other shareholders in the intestacy who were taken into consideration when an assessment of £3.70 was made against this applicant in relation to his unemployment assistance?
I understand that there was his mother and three brothers and a 71 acre farm plus some outbuildings —not very extensive outbuildings.