asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether he is aware that unemployment insurance benefit has been refused in the case of Cornelius Wiseman. Coach Road, Dunmanway, Co. Cork, and whether he will state the reason for such refusal.

A claim to unemployment benefit made on the 8th August, 1928, by Cornelius Wiseman, Coach Road, Dunmanway, was disallowed on the ground that the applicant, being engaged as a Civil Bill Officer, was not unemployed and therefore failed to fulfil one of the statutory conditions for the receipt of unemployment benefit. He was notified of the disallowance of his claim and of his statutory right of appeal to a Court of Referees, but no appeal has been received from him and accordingly his claim remains disallowed.

Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that this man's earnings would not amount to more than five shillings per week and will he indicate how the man is to support a wife and family on that amount, in the absence of unemployment benefit? Will he further say why contributions are deducted from his earnings for benefit that he never receives?

The man is not entitled to receive unemployment benefit while working.

I quite understand that, but does the Parliamentary Secretary mean to say that five shillings a week should be a bar to the man receiving unemployment benefit, while at the same time contributions for unemployment benefit are deducted from him?