Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 176: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will have their claim for unemployment benefit processed. [5125/05]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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The person concerned applied for unemployment benefit on 12 January 2005. One of the conditions for receipt of unemployment benefit is that a person must have sustained a substantial loss of employment and a reduction in earnings.

Information provided by the employer, in this case, indicates that although there has been a reduction in the average number of days per week worked by the person concerned, there has been no reduction in earnings. Accordingly, a deciding officer disallowed the unemployment benefit claim of the person concerned from 12 January 2005, on the grounds that he had not suffered a consequential loss of earnings.

It is open to the person concerned to appeal this decision and a form for this purpose may be obtained from his social welfare local office. Under social welfare legislation, decisions in relation to claims must be made by deciding officers and appeals officers. These officers are statutorily appointed and I have no role in regard to making such decisions.