asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he is satisfied himself with the accommodation provided for unemployment benefit-assistance claimants in Wexford town; if he is aware that queues frequently form on the street outside the employment exchange; and the plans, if any, he has to improve the situation.
Written Answers. - Wexford Unemployment Exchange Accommodation.
72.
The growth in the number of unemployed claimants has undoubtedly placed considerable pressure on both the accommodation and the staff of all the Department's local offices. The situation at each office is kept under constant review and improvements made where resources allow.
While the accommodation in the Wexford employment exchange cannot be regarded as completely satisfactory, nevertheless it should be of adequate capacity to cater for the number of unemployed persons signing there if they adhere to their designated signing times. Each claimant attends once a week on an appointed day and time to sign the unemployed register and collect payment. Claimants are allotted specific signing time but some claimants arrive prior to the official opening times and queue outside. Queuing in these circumstances could be avoided if claimants attended at the designated signing times.