asked the Minister for Social Welfare whether it is a fact that recruiting agents for British firms attend at employment exchanges and there arrange for the emigration of unemployed workers; and, if so, how long this arrangement has been in operation.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Recruiting Agents.
Recruiting agents for British firms are not permitted to attend at employment exchanges and there arrange for the emigration of unemployed workers.
The position at those offices in regard to emigration is that machinery is established there for the primary purpose of assisting the Departments of External Affairs and Justice (Garda Síochána) in administering the Government's restrictions on emigration to employment in Great Britain which prohibit, in the main, the granting of travel identity cards for employment purposes to men who are in employment in this country or for whom suitable employment is available here or will be available within a reasonable period.
This policy is carried out in co-operation with the British Ministry of Labour which has appointed a liaison officer, not a recruiting agent, resident in Dublin. Under the arrangement my Department has undertaken to forward to the liaison officer the applications for employment in Great Britain of persons who, being free of the restrictions, make such applications entirely of their own accord. This restrictive machinery was first introduced in 1941 when travel permits became necessary for intending emigrants, both men and women, and when the activities of British employment agents were curtailed by the prohibition of Press advertising, etc.
Irish citizens entering Great Britain for employment on a travel permit issued by the Minister for External Affairs and holding a written offer of work in Great Britain approved by the liaison officer were assured of freedom from military service, liberty to return home at will and participation in the British schemes of compensation for war injuries.
The restriction on Press advertising disappeared with the abolition of Press censorship in 1945. The restriction on emigration of women became impracticable in July, 1946, with the cessation in Britain of control on their employment and the consequential withdrawal of the employment visa in their case which enabled them to enter Britain freely as visitors and remain there at will. Since July, 1946, the position has remained unchanged.
Is it not a fact that agents of British firms do attend at employment exchanges in this country for some purpose, whatever it may be?
I stated that.
Is it not a fact that the agents attend to facilitate emigration?
They do not attend for the purpose of facilitating emigration. It is to stop emigration that restrictions are imposed.
Is Deputy Colley now convinced that any arrangements there were to facilitate the emigration of workers from this country to England were in operation since the time the Fianna Fáil Government was last in office?
Major de Valera
Such a procedure was in operation while Deputy MacBride was in office.
Is the Minister aware that the procedure was this: men signed on at labour exchanges and were notified that these agents were in attendance? Their attendance was requested at the labour exchanges. and, in fact, it was more or less a case of forcing workers to go to England if they were passed as suitable by these British agents. If they were not suitable they would not be asked to emigrate.
The Deputy is wrong in some of his conclusions. If a person in this country accepts work in England of his own accord, officials of the labour exchanges are expressly forbidden to suggest that the person should emigrate. However, if they do receive an offer of employment, then they attend at the labour exchanges. A representative of the liaison officer may be present, or he may not, to discuss the employment offered. As a matter of fact, officials of the employment exchanges have obeyed that order since 1941.
In view of the statements made by the Taoiseach as to the conditions obtaining in England for Irish workers, will the Minister now discontinue the practice of paying officials in order to facilitate British recruiting agents?
There are no recruiting agents. Though it may give the Deputy a certain amount of satisfaction to repeat that there are, it is not true. However, that assertion will not keep the Deputy from repeating it.
Why did not Deputy MacBride take action during the last three years about the position?
These restrictions on employment were brought in during 1941 and 1942 for the reason, amongst other things, that the people who would go to England would be assured of decent conditions.