Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 10 Jul 1956

Vol. 159 No. 4

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Unemployment in Footwear Industry.

Mr. Aiken

asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will state (a) the number of persons unemployed in the boot and shoe industry on (i) 7th July, 1955 and 6th July, 1956, and (ii) 7th January, 1956, and each subsequent week; (b) the number of unemployed male and female boot and shoe operatives in Dundalk in each week from 7th January, 1956, to 7th July, 1956, and the numbers unemployed in the corresponding weeks in 1955; and (c) the cost of unemployment benefit paid to the unemployed workers concerned on the dates referred to.

Mr. Corish

As the reply to (a) and (b) of the Deputy's question is in the form of a tabular statement, I propose, with your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, to circulate it with the Official Report. An industrial analysis of the live register is made only in respect of one date about the middle of every month, and the statement has been compiled accordingly.

In regard to (c) of the question, the returns of weekly expenditure on unemployment benefit are not prepared on the basis of the industrial or occupational classification of the recipients. The compilation of the figures asked for would therefore necessitate an examination of individual claims for each week mentioned before the figures could be extracted and I feel sure the Deputy will agree that the assignment of staff to this work would not be justified.

Following is the statement:—

STATEMENT showing (I) the number of persons on the Live Register, on the dates shown, whose normal employment is in the boot and shoe industry and (II) the number of male and female boot and shoe operatives registered at the Employment Exchange, Dundalk, on the dates shown.

I.—Number of Persons on the Live Register, on the dates shown, whose normal employment is in the boot and shoe industry.

Date	Number
16th July, 1955	781
14th January, 1956	611
18th February, 1956	627
16th March, 1956	632
14th April, 1956	907
19th May, 1956	1,529
16th June, 1956	1,480

II.—Number of boot and shoe operatives registered at the Employment Exchange, Dundalk, on the dates shown.

1956	1955
Date	Males	Females	Total	Date	Males	Females	Total
7th January	143	59	202	8th January	237	170	407
14th January	58	37	95	15th January	221	111	332
21st January	66	41	107	22nd January	124	44	168
28th January	73	24	97	29th January	12	5	17
4th February	47	28	75	5th February	5	14	19
11th February	34	26	60	12th February	17	13	30
18th February	30	24	54	19th February	5	11	16
25th February	34	19	53	26th February	11	11	22
3rd March	32	16	48	5th March	10	12	22
10th March	6	12	18	12th March	96	23	119
16th March	7	12	19	19th March	55	38	93
24th March	6	12	18	26th March	82	27	109
29th March	35	45	80	2nd April	91	33	124
7th April	128	39	167	7th April	101	44	145
14th April	44	18	62	16th April	356	280	636
21st April	164	65	229	23rd April	76	50	126
28th April	194	66	260	30th April	22	23	45
5th May	121	82	203	7th May	69	58	127
12th May	141	88	229	14th May	91	87	178
19th May	234	118	352	21st May	93	52	145
26th May	250	167	417	28th May	382	283	665
2nd June	177	140	317	4th June	392	299	691
9th June	204	91	295	11th June	132	136	268
16th June	183	123	306	18th June	189	144	333
23rd June	150	135	285	25th June	153	110	263
30th June	143	164	307	2nd July	70	53	123
7th July	351	279	630	9th July	31	55	86

NOTE.—It does not follow that all the persons shown as on the Live Register on the dates specified would have been unemployed throughout the weeks ended on those dates.