Committee on Finance. - Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill, 1965: Committee and Final Stages.
No. 18 of 1965 ›
I raised a matter on Second Reading to which the Minister did not reply. What we are proposing to do in this piece of legislation is to change the method of assessing means of smallholders in respect of unemployment assistance and a new provision is put into section 8. There is, however, provision in section 9 by means of which the Minister may, in any individual case, decide that the old system of assessment is to apply. This seems to be an extraordinarily wide power. There seems to be no means of appealing against the Minister's decision. It seems a completely arbitrary decision. He may decide, in an individual case, that a person who has applied for unemployment assistance is to have his means assessed on the old system and not on the new one. This seems a power we should not grant unless there are good reasons for doing so and I should be glad to know why the Minister thinks it is necessary to have this power.
Comment on this
I think it is obvious that, in certain cases, people on a holding of small valuation could carry on specialised activity which could clearly put them outside the class of person whom it is intended to cover by the Unemployment Assistance Acts. I know a case myself—admittedly, it is not in the congested districts—of a person on a holding of small valuation who is in quite a big way of business and, in fact, employs a number of men. It is clearly desirable, in the case of specialised activity such as that, that the Minister should have——
Comment on this
And he would get it in the congested districts.
Comment on this
This section may be operated only after consultation with the Minister for Agriculture. It is intended to apply only to people like that who are engaged in intensive production of that kind which would clearly put them outside——
Comment on this
This would be operated only after consultation with the Minister for Agriculture. Obviously, it would happen only in a case where it is quite clear that the person concerned is not a person who would come within the scope of unemployment assistance.
Comment on this
I understood that I was to be called at 12 midnight and that I would conclude not later than 12.30 a.m. I am wondering what the situation now is.
Comment on this
The Minister for Local Government will be called after we dispose of the Bill before the House.
Comment on this
Just to get the matter quite clear, if this goes on until 12.30 a.m. there is no point in calling on anybody at that stage because I understand that the Order of the House is to adjourn then. I understood I was to be called not later than 12 midnight.
Comment on this
If the Minister gets the Second Stage of his Bill——
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We have already gone beyond our time so far as the Bill at present before the House is concerned and there should be no further discussion in order that we may carry out the Order made by the House.
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I wish to make a suggestion. I am not concerned with Orders that are apparently shoved through here for the discussion of a Housing Bill at this late hour of the night——
Comment on this
I did not agree to it and I have the same rights here as anyone else. I have rights the very same as some——
Comment on this
What about the Cork city boundary Bill which was shoved through the Seanad when the Senators from Cork were over here in the Dáil?
Comment on this
On section 9, I understood that the main intention behind this section was to ensure that smallholders would work their land to its full capacity as it was felt by the Department that some landowners were not doing so in case it would mitigate against their case for unemployment assistance. We are now told that if smallholders develop their holdings and work them in such a way that——
Comment on this
Do I get in, as per the Order of the House, or do I not? This is the question. The time is running out.
Comment on this
I would point out to Deputy M. P. Murphy that we have already overrun the time allocated for this Bill.
Comment on this
It may be important but the Order of the House is also important. I am now putting section 9 to the House.