asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason many persons in the Newbridge area of County Kildare, are being denied social welfare benefits on the grounds that they are not available for work; and if he is satisfied that the grounds are genuine.

8.

asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he is satisfied with the grounds on which the Newbridge office of the Department of Social Welfare is denying people their benefits and if he will make a statement on the matter.

I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 and 8 together.

It is a condition for the receipt of unemployment benefit or assistance that a claimant be available for employment. This means in general that a claimant must be free to take up employment and must be making genuine efforts to obtain work.

It also means that a claimant should not place unreasonable limitations on the type or hours of work he would accept or on the location in which he would accept employment.

In the matter of disallowance on the grounds that a person is not available for employment, claims in the Newbridge local office are not treated any differently from those in any other local office in the country. The criteria used, as defined in the preceding paragraphs, are applied uniformly in all local offices.

Every person whose claim to unemployment benefit or assistance is disallowed is advised in writing of the reason for the disallowance and of the right of appeal against the decision given in his case.

It is open to any person who is dissatisfied with a deciding officer's decision to appeal against the decision and to have the case determined by an appeals officer.

Could the Minister indicate to the House the number of claims disallowed from the Newbridge office on the basis that the claimants were not available for work?

That would seem to be a separate question.

It averages two to three a week.

Would that be more than the average for other exchanges throughout the country, or is that normal?

As I indicated in my reply, there is no question of any special treatment being meted out to any other area and Newbridge is being treated in the same way as other areas. I have not the information as to whether this is higher or lower than other areas throughout the country. But I want to assure the Deputy that Newbridge receives the very same treatment as any other area in regard to that.

Would the Minister indicate if there are any figures available to illustrate whether women are refused assistance more often than men on the basis that they are not available for work?

These questions relate to Newbridge only.

I am sorry, I would not have that information.

9.