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Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 5 Feb 1953

Vol. 136 No. 2

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Unemployment Statistics.

asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will state the number of unemployed registered at each employment exchange in Dublin City and County.

The numbers of persons registered at the local offices of my Department in Dublin City and County on Saturday, 31st January, 1953, were as follows:—

Employment Exchange

(Men), Gardiner Street

6,900

,, ,,

(Men), Werburgh Street

8,080

,, ,,

(Women and Juveniles) Beresford Place

2,943

,, ,,

(Women) Victoria Street

2,179

,, ,,

Dún Laoghaire

1,011

Branch Employment Office, Balbriggan

237

asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he is in a position to state the total number of unemployed registered in the following labour exchanges: Macroom, Mallow, Newmarket, County Cork, on 1st January,1953, as compared with the corresponding date in 1952.

The numbers of persons registered at the local offices mentioned by the Deputy on Saturday, the 3rd January, 1953, which is the date nearest to the 1st January, 1953, for which figures are available, and on the corresponding day in 1952, were as follows:—

Local Office

Numbers registered on

3rd January, 1953

5th January, 1952

Macroom

159

109

Mallow

230

125

Newmarket

233

239

TOTALS

622

473

Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that since the 3rd January, 1953, 100 men have been dismissed from the Mallow beet factory? What attitude is the Government going to take to the threatened dismissal of 100 more workers from the mills in Mallow town?

Would they think of going down to Mallow to investigate?

Who put the beet factory there?

Mr. O'Higgins

Who put the white elephant there?

Drink the milk and show your photograph in the papers again. You will get milk fever in Cork if you do not mind yourself.

asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will state the number of persons receiving unemployment insurance benefit on the third Saturday in January in each of the years from 1938 to 1953, inclusive.

As the reply is in the form of a tabular statement, I propose, with your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, to have it circulated with the Official Report.

NUMBER of persons receiving unemployment benefit on the third Saturday in January in each of the years from 1938 to 1953, inclusive.

YEAR

Number of persons receiving Unemployment Benefit

1938

19,112

1939

20,195

1940

22,947

1941

21,489

1942

23,983

1943

20,627

1944

18,673

1945

17,281

1946

20,633

1947

16,476

1948

17,939

1949

19,095

1950

17,928

1951

17,746

1952

25,213

1953

36,734*

* Certain amendments of the Unemployment Assistance Acts provided for in the Social Welfare Act, 1952, which became operative on the 5th January, 1953, have resulted in the transfer to unemployment benefit of a large number of persons previously in receipt of unemployment assistance. Besides, from 5th January, 1953, under transitional regulations, national health insurance contributions are, with some exceptions, counted for the purpose of satisfying the contribution conditions for unemployment benefit.

Would the Parliamentary Secretary confirm from the figures before him that the number of persons registered as unemployed on the third Saturday in January this year exceed by 13,000 the number registered on the third Saturday in January, 1952?

A number of people have come on from unemployment assistance to unemployment benefit because under the 1952 Act national health insurance stamps are taken to give them unemployment benefit. That has caused the increase.

That is great news to them, I am sure. Will the Parliamentary Secretary say that 13,000 have come on—because his own figures in the weekly statement do not justify any such assertion by him?

The Parliamentary Secretary will state there are over 20,000 more people in insurable employmentthan there were 12 months ago.

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