asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he is satisfied with the decision of the deciding officer that a person (name supplied) in County Kildare is not entitled to unemployment benefit; and if he will explain how it was decided that she was not available for employment.

The claim for unemployment benefit made by the person concerned on the 24th January, 1976, was disallowed by a deciding officer on the ground that the statutory condition for the receipt of unemployment benefit which requires a claimant to be available for employment was not satisfied. She appealed against this decision and, following an oral hearing at which the claimant attended and gave evidence to the effect that she was available for part-time work only, the appeals officer upheld the decision of the deciding officer.

The Deputy will appreciate that the determination of claims for unemployment benefit is a matter for statutory deciding officers and appeals officers and that neither the Minister nor anyone else can give instructions to those officers in the exercise of that function. Accordingly it would not be appropriate for me to express an opinion regarding the decision of the deciding officer or the appeals officer in this case.

9.