With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 39 and 40 together.
Title to unemployment benefit is based on employment contributions and does not depend on the means of the claimant.
As regards unemployment assistance, the value of free or partly free board and lodging is one of the items which deciding officers and appeals officers are obliged by the law to take into account in the assessment of the means of applicants. This amount is deducted from the appropriate maximum rate of unemployment assistance and the applicant is paid any balance. While I have no proposals for amending existing legislation in the field of unemployment assistance, I am having certain aspects of the scheme in relation to the manner of assessment of means reviewed.