asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will increase the eligibility limit for small holders unemployment asistance.

The maximum means limit for entitlement to unemployment asistance is the maximum rate of assistance applicable to a particular applicant taking account of his family circumstances. The rate of asistance payable is the difference between the limit in a particular case and the means assessed against an applicant.

The entitlement limits will be increased automatically from July next, when the increase in rates announced in the budget come into effect. Smallholders whose means are assessed on a factual basis will benefit from the increased limits in the same way as other applicants for unemployment assistance. Those smallholders who have been receiving unemployment asistance on a long-term basis will also benefit from the higher rates of increase being paid to the long-term unemployed.

The notional method of assessment of means for unemployment assistance purposes has been discontinued and no increase will be made in the rates of assistance being paid to those remaining smallholders whose entitlement is based on the notional system. The means of those smallholders are at present being investigated and as they become entitled to unemployment assistance on a factual assessment of their means, they will benefit from the general increases provided in the budget.