asked the Minister for Finance if he will make a special employment grant available to absorb the many unemployed workers in New Ross, County Wexford.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Wexford Unemployed.
The primary purpose of the employment schemes grants made from the Employment and Emergency Schemes Vote is to provide spells of work for persons in receipt of unemployment assistance. A grant proportionateto the number of unemployment assistance recipients in the area has already been allocated to New Ross and schemes to absorb the allocation are at present under consideration.
Could the Parliamentary Secretary indicate the amount of the grant which has been allocated to New Ross?
I have not the exact amount.
The Parliamentary Secretary must be aware that there are 400 unemployed in New Ross. Therefore, a considerable grant would be necessary.
There are not 400 on the unemployment assistance register and were not in January of this year. In fact, the number was the lowest for a number of years.
They have all emigrated so.
asked the Minister for Finance if, in view of the many unemployed workers in Enniscorthy, County Wexford, he will consider making available a substantial special employment grant to mitigate the hardship accruing from this situation.
The primary purpose of the employment schemes grants made from the Employment and Emergency Schemes Vote is to provide spells of work for persons in receipt of unemployment assistance. A grant proportionate to the number of unemployment assistance recipients in the area has already been allocated to Enniscorthy and schemes to absorb the allocation are at present under consideration.
Could the Parliamentary Secretary indicate what the grant for Enniscorthy is?
I cannot state that.
My information is that there are 600 unemployed in Enniscorthyand whether they have emigrated or are registered I do not know.
Am I to take it that only those drawing unemployment assistance are registered as being unemployed?
Yes. The number on unemployment assistance in Enniscorthy, when the census was taken in January, was 39, as compared with 72 in 1952; 82 in 1951, 97 in 1950 and 124 in 1949.
Has not the Social Welfare Act, 1952, something to do with those figures?
Would it not be possible to get these schemes sanctioned so that we can start work for the relief of the unemployed and not be waiting until Christmas time?
They have been notified already.
That is no use. We want to get on with the work immediately.