I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle for allowing me to raise this issue which relates to one of my constituents who abided by all the rules and regulations governing the social welfare system. I raise this matter to illustrate how sometimes it does not pay to abide by the rules and regulations and to be honest.
One of my constituents who was made redundant some years ago could easily have decided to go on the dole and take life easy, but instead he used the few pounds he received on redundancy to set up a business with a colleague. Unfortunately the recession caused the business to partially fold after a few years. His colleague agreed to hire him so as to prevent the business folding entirely. In order to put matters on a proper footing I advised him at the time — he agreed to this — to register for unemployment assistance and not to sign on and work at the same time, as some people do. He abided by the rules and regulations and did the right thing.
Everything was okay until an investigating officer decided to interview him. I appreciate that the investigating officer was fully in order in carrying out the interview — fraud needs to get detected — but I want to stress that the interview was carried out in a subjective way. I was not at all impressed with the report of the interview. In fairness to the person who carried out the interview, who is not present to defend himself or herself, I will not go into the details of this investigation. I stress that the person being interviewed was honest and straight-forward at all times. He signed off on the days he was working in accordance with the regulations and abided by all the rules. The only thanks he has received for his honesty has been the non-payment of any social welfare benefit since last July. In an effort to be of assistance somebody decided to consider whether he was eligible for unemployment benefit. Of course, under one of the "dirty dozen" measures which still applies in that area a person who does not suffer a substantial loss of income during the previous 13 weeks does not qualify for unemployment benefit. Following the due process, the powers that be decided that he did not suffer a substantial loss of income by working for two or three days and signing on for the other days.
Slowly but surely this man is being ground down and concerned in a very small area. People in such circumstances normally go into the black economy and draw dole full-time. I am not saying that this man will go into the black economy — he is very honest. I am asking the Minister to do something about this case and other possible cases. The people who defraud the system do not declare themselves. People who have a name and number are not the ones who cause the problems. I ask the Minister urgently to investigate this case with a view to ensuring that this man is fairly and honestly treated, in the same way as he treated the system.
