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

The reason for the delay in payment of unemployment benefit to the person concerned is that at the date of his claim employment contributions had not been paid by his employer. Pending the completion of investigations the unpaid contributions were treated as paid for the purposes of his claim and all unemployment benefit due has now been paid to him.

This is a case where the employer's contribution had not been paid. Following an investigation they have been credited, even though not paid.

When did it first come to the notice of the Department that the employer was not fulfilling his obligation in regard to sending in contributions?

He claimed unemployment benefit on 17 November 1980. At that date he was not entitled to unemployment benefit as he did not satisfy the statutory contribution conditions. The last insurance card received from him was in respect of the 1972 contribution year. A whole procedure followed that and the Deputy must accept that he has been taking exceptional cases to try to highlight——

That is the whole point — they are exceptional cases.

The Minister said 1972. During all that period the Department knew about the situation but what have they done? The Minister is not correct in saying that the claimant is not entitled to benefit. This man worked for 40 years and I do not think he ever claimed unemployment benefit——

The person is a plasterer by occupation and there was not a record from the 1972 contribution year. It is not the Department's task to go out and get people to put in a record. The man has been given credit for contributions.

Who protects the employee?

We protect him by paying his contributions for him.

10.