asked the Minister for Social Welfare if a person (details supplied) in County Cork will be paid his full entitlement to unemployment assistance.

The person concerned is in receipt of weekly unemployment assistance at the rate of £20.70, being the maximum rate payable to him, £25.45, less means £4.75 derived from the value of board and lodging in his parents' home. This is the full amount to which he is entitled having regard to the means assessed against him.

If he is dissatisfied with the means assessment it is open to him to apply to have them re-investigated. A form for this purpose may be obtained from his local office.

Arising out of the Minister's reply——

I have a feeling — perhaps I am wrong — that the Deputy may be going to question the policy involved.

But the Chair did not even hear the question yet.

May I express the wish that the Deputy is not going to question the policy of charging free lodgings? That would be getting into policy issues.

The Deputy was going to fringe around the edge of it. He was going to ask what criteria were being used. In my own constituency it ranges from £2 to £24 or £25. It is about time that the Minister of State paid attention to that also. Especially in the last few weeks and in Mayo in particular, a very intensive campaign has been carried out by officers. Is the Minister aware of that fact and that charges relating to board and lodgings go from £2 to £24 or £25?

This is a question dealing with a specific case.

It got lost somewhere and slipped down the line.

Obviously, there should not be any great discrepancy with regard to charges for board and lodgings and I will have that matter checked out. With regard to investigations, I would hope that there would always be ongoing investigations with regard to payments of State moneys and that there should always be ready accountability for these, so that those who are entitled to get payment get it and those who are not entitled do not.

I agree wholeheartedly with that.

21.