asked the Minister for Social Welfare how the means of a person (details supplied) in County Wicklow were estimated at £10 a week, derived from benefit or privilege of board and lodging in his father's house; and if he will make an early decision on the claimant's appeal.

The means of the person concerned, as assessed by a deciding officer for unemployment assistance purposes, represent the estimated weekly value to him of the benefit or privilege of board and lodging in his father's household and take account of the number of persons in the household, the fact that his father is in permanent employment and the amount of the latter's earnings. The assessment has been upheld by an appeals officer, whose decision is final in the absence of new facts or fresh evidence.

Is the Minister aware of the grave hardship that has occurred in many cases such as this for the reason that, while the householder may apparently have means, the choice is either to keep the person unemployed and have this sort of charge set against their eligibility for assistance or dump them out? It is as simple and as regrettable as that in many cases and I would ask the Minister to have a further look at that. This thing of board and lodgings is not something they have by right, it is only on sufferance and in many cases the householder cannot afford it.

I sympathise with the suggestion made by the Deputy but I am afraid I cannot promise a change in the immediate future. There is a lot of sense in what the Deputy says in relation to this problem. Unfortunately it has been so for many years. I can understand the plight of somebody who has no money whatever and that the fact that he is kept by his household means he is not eligible for unemployment assistance. I am not happy about that situation but I cannot make any promise. I am certainly prepared to have it investigated to see if any other method can be employed.

11.