Fairness of unemployment benefit refusals
De Rossa argued that unfair refusals, particularly affecting women claiming unemployment benefit, generate appeals; the Minister said decisions must balance entitlement with scheme conditions. De Rossa cited a woman refused after applying the Monday following Friday dismissal because she had not sought work, but the Chair and Minister treated this as a separate question.
Will the Minister of State not accept that many of the appeals that have to be made are as a result of unfair refusal of benefit to applicants and that a more lax, so to speak, a more generous approach to applicants, particularly to women who apply for unemployment benefit, would reduce the number of appeals that have to be made?
Comment on this
It is a question of balance. On the one hand we have commentators and, indeed, Members of this House, pointing out the ease with which people can get social welfare benefit — with which I do not agree, and there is another question here on which I will deal with that. On the other hand we have questions like Deputy De Rossa's question which tend to give the opposite impression. It is a question of balance between ensuring that people get what they are entitled to and ensuring that they comply with the conditions that govern each scheme. No matter which way the regulations lean we will get criticism of one kind or another from those who think the regulations should be much stricter and that people should not get benefits as easily as they do, and the other view that people should get them more easily.
Comment on this
——to the Minister: does he consider it reasonable that a woman who is made unemployed on a Friday at 5 p.m. and who applies on Monday at 10 a.m. for unemployment benefit, which she qualifies for on the basis of contributions, should be told no, she has not looked for work in the meantime?
Comment on this
Is that a reasonable refusal? Is that kind of thing not unacceptable?
Comment on this
It is not a separate issue. It is very much concerned with the number of appeals.