asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health whether he is aware that Home Assistance Officers are now compiling figures as to the numbers of unemployed persons in their district; whether he is aware that in the course of such work, Home Assistance Officers in some cases merely call at Unemployment Exchanges and obtain figures of the numbers of persons registering, thereby providing a totally inaccurate return, and whether he will arrange that in order to provide an accurate return Trade Union officials in the different districts and other persons with local knowledge will be consulted.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - UNEMPLOYED STATISTICS.
Special investigations through my local inspectors are made from time to time as to the prevailing extent of distress and of public assistance. Any information supplied is fully authenticated by all necessary inquiries.
Mr. MURPHY
Will the Minister say whether the figures that are being sought now will be any more accurate than the figures discussed here in the Dáil, before the adjournment, with regard to the same matter?
I believe that the figures then quoted were accurate.
Mr. MURPHY
Is the Minister aware that a statement was made during the discussion in the Dáil, before the adjournment last June, that the figures then supplied were inaccurate? Take, for instance, my own constituency, in which the return stated that there was no unemployment whatever. I gave a flat contradiction to that and invited verification of it. I will ask the Minister to say whether the method adopted now to gain that information is as unreliable as was the method adopted then.
I am not aware that it was unreliable.
Mr. MURPHY
Is the Minister aware that these figures are compiled simply by the officials going into the local offices of the Labour Exchange and asking how many are registered for unemployment, without having any regard to the position of those people who have never registered in the offices of the labour exchange?
Our officials are supposed to make the necessary inquiries. They are responsible officials, and I must presume that they carry out their duties efficiently.
Mr. MURPHY
Will the Minister say whether it is reasonable to expect that trade union officials should be consulted?
That is a matter for the discretion of our officials.
Mr. MURPHY
They are to be ignored entirely.
Will the Minister supply a copy of the instructions issued to the parties concerned in connection with this matter?
I do not know that there were any written instructions issued. There were, I think, only verbal instructions.