Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 15 Mar 1932

Vol. 41 No. 2

Vote 60—Unemployment Insurance.

Mr. MacEntee

I move:—

Go ndeontar suim bhreise ná raghaidh thar £1,300 chun íoctha an Mhuirir a thiocfaidh chun bheith iníoctha i rith na bliana dar críoch an 31adh lá de Mhárta, 1932, chun Tuarastail agus Costaisí i dtaobh Arachais Díomhaointis agus Malartán Postuíochta, maraon le síntiúisí do Chiste an Díomhaontis.

That a supplementary sum not exceeding £1,300 be granted to defray the Charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March, 1932, for the Salaries and Expenses in connection with Unemployment Insurance and Employment Exchanges, including contributions to the Unemployment Fund.

Mr. Lemass

This Estimate becomes necessary in consequence of the fact that the amount paid in contributions to the Unemployment Fund during the year was somewhat larger than anticipated. The State contribution to the fund is based on the revenue of the fund from contributions paid by employers and working people. The increased revenue from these contributions necessitates an increase in the State contribution of £9,000. On the other hand the amount which the State is entitled to take from the fund to meet the cost of administration is a fixed percentage of the total revenue. And as the total revenue has been increased the amount to meet the expenses is also increased by £6,000. There is consequently a difference of £3,000 to be met. Against that there were savings under the sub-heads of £1,700, and the total now asked is £1,300.

Mr. McGilligan

Does that represent an increase or a decrease in employment in the country?

Mr. Lemass

From such investigation as I have been able to make the increase in the revenue of the fund was due to a combination of circumstances, one of which is greater efficiency in enforcing the payment of contribution by people concerned and to some slight extent an increase in insurable employment.

Mr. McGilligan

It does represent an increase in insurable employment? The Minister said there were two things which came into that calculation. Can he give an estimate as to the percentage addition that either or both of those would represent.

Mr. Lemass

No.

Mr. McGilligan

Can he give any indication, say in weeks, of what the addition to the insurable occupations in the country would be represented by this sum.

Mr. Lemass

I could not, I did not get that.

Mr. McGilligan

It is possible, I think, if one takes ordinary lines which contribute to unemployment insurance, dividing them according to adults and juveniles, and further, according to male and female, to get a calculation as to how much extra occupation is indicated by the increase given here. Has the Minister made any calculation or can he get it made?

Mr. Lemass

Calculations of that kind are being made at the moment. The Deputy will understand that I have not had very much time to go into the matter in detail. A full report on the situation in that respect is being prepared, and I hope to have it in the course of a few days. The information supplied in the Department is that the increased revenue to the fund was in the greater part due to better compliance.

Mr. McGilligan

That would represent a greater percentage of compliance for last year over the preceding year.

Mr. Lemass

Possibly. The Deputy will understand that the Supplementary Estimate arises out of the original Estimate. It appears that the Estimate as to receipts into the fund made some eighteen months ago was too low. The actual revenue was greater than the Estimate.

Vote put and agreed to.