asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he can state the number of unmarried men and women now registered for employment in the Dublin Labour Exchange, and whether he is aware that unmarried persons are not in receipt of any relief. Home Assistance or any other kind of help from Government or local authorities, and if he will state whether it is intended to take any steps to provide them with a means of livelihood.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Provision for Unmarried Unemployed.
The statistics compiled in respect of persons registered for employment at local offices of my Department do not distinguish between married and unmarried persons. A special return was, however, prepared which shows that of a total of 14,858 persons registered for employment at the Employment Exchange, Dublin, on the 16th January, 1933, there were 8,251 unmarried. Though definite figures are not available, it is estimated that 56 per cent. of those unmarried persons were claiming unemployment benefit. Only 191 of them were known to have dependents, and 886 of them are juveniles, under 18 years of age.
I understand that under the Poor Relief (Dublin) Act, 1929, relief in the form of Home Assistance may be and is, in fact, given to deserving unmarried persons both directly and indirectly. In addition, a share of the employment given by way of relief works will in future be reserved for single men.
With regard to the last part of the question, the policy of the Government has already been stated and is generally known.
Will the Minister say what steps he intends to take to deal with the people mentioned in the question, that is to say, the people who are not getting any relief, Home Assistance or any other kind of help from Government or local authorities? Would the Minister be interested to know that I have had a big number of these people with me and that there are 4,000 single men unemployed who are not getting as much as a slice of bread or a cigarette from either the Government or the local authority? The Minister has not dealt with that part of my question and——
Is this a question or a speech?
It is a supplementary question.
The Deputy must not have quite got the answer I read out to him.
I did. I got the Minister's answer, but why did the Minister leave out the 3,000 or 4,000 men who are getting no relief at all? I want to know from the Minister what is to happen these 3,000 or 4,000 men?
When the Deputy reads the answer he will understand.
The Minister entirely avoided the principal point in my question. Does the Minister realise that even if there are only a few hundred unemployed who are not in receipt of relief or any kind of help from the Government their position is serious and will he say what he is going to do in these cases where the people are not getting any sort of relief whatever?
The Deputy will find in the following part of the answer which I read out to him the information he is looking for:—I understand that under the Poor Relief (Dublin) Act, 1929, relief in the form of Home Assistance may be, and is in fact, given to deserving unmarried persons both directly and indirectly. In addition, a share of the employment given by way of relief works will in future be reserved for single men.
The word "deserving" is evidently a cover for the Minister's reply. Would the Minister just visualise the case of four brothers, all idle, and with no one depending on any of them. If one out of the four brothers were working it would help the whole family. As the position is, will the Minister say if any one of those four brothers is entitled to work? Are any of the four brothers entitled to a day's work?
I again refer the Deputy to my reply. May I repeat for the third time: "In addition, a share of the employment given by way of relief works will in future be reserved for single men." Has that penetrated yet?
Does the Minister agree with the motion passed by the House on 25th June last?