asked the Minister for Finance if he will state whether he is aware that there are hundreds of unemployed persons in the City of Dublin who have never previously sought public assistance and whose character and tradition are such that they are not signing up at the labour exchanges and therefore not qualifying for unemployment assistance payments; that these people are depending for their subsistence during the coming winter on relief schemes and whether in view of this and of the increasing number of those recorded at the labour exchanges the grant of £16,000 for relief work in Dublin City will be substantially increased.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dublin City Relief Grant.
Existing law and procedure provides relief to all necessitous and deserving persons by means either of unemployed assistance or home assistance. In allocating the relief grant all factors were taken into consideration and the largest possible amount has been assigned.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware of the increasing unemployment that exists in Dublin? Would it be due to the number of people flocking to the city for employment? Taking into consideration the increasing unemployment that exists and having regard to the grant given in other years, does he consider £16,000 sufficient to meet the situation?
There is no increase of unemployment. There is an increase of registration of those willing to take employment. The actual total increase in registration in Dublin City over the whole period of the last two years is only about 22 per cent. The increase in registration in other districts runs up to 2,000 and 3,000 per cent. All these factors are taken into consideration. As to the £16,000, that is not the total amount which is being given to the City of Dublin. In addition to that, £3,000 is being spent under a Board of Works grant in Stephen's Green and a grant of £2,000 has been made to the Dublin Port and Docks Board as part of an expenditure of £8,900 incurred by them.
Does the Parliamentary Secretary deny that there are hundreds of people in Dublin unemployed who are not signing at the Labour Exchange?
If the Deputy is aware of that and can show that people are not registering, that is a matter to be brought to the attention of the Minister for Industry and Commerce. Absolutely every facility has been provided for the purpose.
I can assure the Parliamentary Secretary that I know at least 50 such people, and so do other Deputies.
Will the Parliamentary Secretary say if the smallness of the grant of £16,000 is based on his opinion that there is no increase in unemployment in the City of Dublin.
It is based upon the fair distribution of the funds in my possession for the purpose of relieving temporary unemployment.
So that the Parliamentary Secretary now runs away from the statement that there is no increased unemployment in Dublin.
I am not running away from the question. I am satisfied that there is no increase in unemployment in the City of Dublin, and no increase in unemployment in the Free State.
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