asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in the payment of unemployment benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.

The person concerned claimed unemployment benefit during the period February 1979 to October 1979. His cleam was disallowed by a deciding officer on the grounds that he was not available for work. He appealed against the disallowance but an appeals officer upheld the decision of the deciding officer.

If the claimant is still unemployed and feels that he is now available for work it is open to him to apply again for unemployment benefit by making a claim at his nearest local office.