(An Clár) asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state why unemployment insurance benefit is withheld from Mr. Peter McInerney, Ballymacraven, Kilshanny, Co. Clare.

The claim made on the 8th January last by Mr. McInerney was disallowed by the insurance officer on the ground that the claimant was not unemployed. An appeal, which will be heard by the Court of Referees at an early date, has been lodged. The claimant has so far proved unemployment for only six days, representing the waiting week. No benefit would, therefore, be payable on the claim, should it be allowed, unless Mr. McInerney renews his claim and proves further unemployment.

Will the Parliamentary Secretary say what work this man was engaged in that rendered him not unemployed?

It is pretty well known that he was not unemployed.

I should like to know, in this particular case, what work he was doing that rendered him not unemployed.

There is a statutory obligation on the claimant to prove unemployment before a certain body. He has not done that so far. Until he does that and satisfies the body set up under the statute to award him unemployment benefit he cannot get it.

That is begging the question. If he did not prove that he was unemployed, how can the Minister prove that he had work that rendered him not unemployed? What is the work?

He is not the judge.