Terry Leyden
Ceist:340 Mr. Leyden asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will approve payment of unemployment benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
The person concerned applied for unemployment benefit from 20 December 1991. His claim was disallowed on the grounds that he was not unemployed. Farmers and other self-employed persons are not regarded under social welfare legislation as unemployed unless their self-employment could ordinarily have been undertaken in addition to their usual employment. The rules also specify that the remuneration from the self-employment cannot exceed £10 per day or, alternatively, that not less than 117 contributions were paid in respect of the previous three years.
The person's income from farming was assessed at in excess of £10 per day and he does not fulfil the contribution condition.
The person concerned appealed this decision to the independent social welfare appeals office and his case was referred to an appeals officer for determination. On the basis of the evidence available, the appeals officer upheld the decision of the deciding officer in the matter. The decision of the appeals officer is final and may only be reviewed in the light of new evidence or fresh facts.