(An Clár) asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state the number of Unemployment Insurance Books retained in each Employment Exchange in Saorstát Eireann on March 9th, 1931.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Unemployment Insurance Books.
Pádraig O hOgáin
Particulars as to books lodged at Employment Exchanges are of no public interest, since they afford no index of unemployment. If, however, the Deputy presses for the figures I will have them sent to him.
Mr. Hogan
With all deference to the Minister's opinion, they are important, and I think we ought to have them, inasmuch as the truth or accuracy of the live register has to be gauged by the number of books in the Exchanges. I ask the Minister to let us have the particulars asked for immediately.
I have to hesitate now about giving figures on the basis submitted by the Deputy, because there is no reasonable case that can be made. Books are lodged when persons previously in insurable occupations are thereafter in non-insurable occupations or unemployed. There is a wide difference between that and unemployment.
Mr. Hogan
Replying to a question about a month ago the Minister gave me figures relative to books held in the Exchanges and the number of people on the live register. These two numbers are comparable, but I want the number on the 9th March, the last date on which the Minister gave me the figures on the live register. I want to compare these two, and I suggest that in the interest of the Minister's own defence of the live register he should give me the figures so that they can be compared.
I will have to think further about the question. My point is that there is no index whatever to what is called unemployment. People previously in an insurable occupation are, at the time the books are lodged, either in a non-insurable occupation or unemployed.
Mr. Hogan
If the Minister argues on that line I will have to assume that the discrepancy of seven thousand between the live register and the number of books held in the Labour Exchanges represents the number that he has not taken into account.
If the Deputy assumes that he must also assume that some of them are in occupation of the non-insurable type.
Mr. Hogan
Is the Minister prepared to give me the figures or does he decline to give them?
I said that if the Deputy presses for them I will give him the figures, but he must not make wrong assumptions.
Mr. Hogan
Give me the figures and let me assume anything I like.
Will the Minister furnish the figures before the debate on his Vote to-morrow?
I can give them privately to-night, if necessary.