asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state the number of vacancies notified at and filled through the employment exchanges and branch employment offices during the year 1935.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Vacancies Notified and Filled.
The nearest period of 12 months for which figures relating to vacancies notified to and filled by local offices of my Department during the year 1935 is the period of 12 months ended the 6th January, 1936, and in that period 49,093 vacancies were notified to and 39,614 vacancies filled by such offices.
Will the Minister say, when he is making comparisons with preceding years as he has been doing recently, why is it that only 62 per cent. of the vacancies are being filled at the labour exchanges to-day, compared with the last year of what he calls the Cumann na nGaedheal Administration? Will he say why, in the first half of this year, there were only 6,275 vacancies for men filled through the labour exchanges, while in the first half of the year 1931 the number so filled was 10,062, and will he further say why there has been a falling off of 3,787?
I have already explained to the Dáil the circumstances which operated last year. The local officers of my Department were fully occupied in bringing into operation the Unemployment Assistance Act, and, in consequence, had to be released from the duties hitherto imposed on them in the matter of the filling of vacancies, particularly vacancies arising in the employment of local authorities. The change in procedure which was made necessary by the additional duties arising under the Unemployment Assistance Act is responsible for the change in that figure. Now that the Unemployment Assistance Act is in full operation, it is contemplated that, in due course, the Department will resume its old functions in that connection.
Surely the Minister is aware that the conditions that obtained in the first half of this year were similar to the conditions that obtained as far as the employees of local bodies are concerned in 1931?
The first half of this year is not over yet.
Taking the year 1935, is not the Minister aware that the same conditions in the relations between the labour exchanges and the local authorities existed in the first half of the two years 1931 and 1935?
I have already explained the circumstances to the Deputy.
That less employment is being given?
Much more. I would advise the Deputy to study the figures I gave to Deputy Norton to-day.