asked the Minister for Social Welfare whether, in view of the severe hardships caused by the three-day waiting period for persons transferring from unemployment benefit to unemployment assistance, he will take steps to abolish this waiting period, if necessary by the introduction of proposals for amending legislation.

I would refer the Deputy to the reply which I gave to a question from Deputy Hickey on this subject on the 9th July last. It is not my intention to introduce legislation amending the Unemployment Assistance Acts at the present time.