asked the Taoiseach if he is aware that the recently announced Government allocation of £1,000,000 will not effectively reduce unemployment which is now running at a higher level than at any time since the war and that unless more effective immediate remedial action is taken, unemployment figures are likely to reach the 90,000 to 100,000 levels early next year, and, if so, if the Government will revise their short-term policy for dealing with the problem and adjust their policies to ensure that there will be no further increase in unemployment pending the implementation of the long-term programme.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Unemployment Problem.
asked the Taoiseach if he is aware that because of its terms the allocation of £1,000,000 will not result in any improvement in the unemployment figures which are still rising at an alarming rate, and, if so, if he will state what further measures the Government propose to deal with the problem; further, if he will state (a) the maximum unemployment figure which it is anticipated will be reached, and when, and (b) when it is anticipated that the figure will be reduced, and to what extent.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to answer Questions Nos. 1 and 2 together.
As the apportionment of the additional sum of £1,000,000 which the Government decided to make available for expenditure on certain works during the remainder of the current financial year—including large sums for the E.S.B., certain harbour improvement works, the land rehabilitation project, the purposes of the Special Employment Schemes Office, the purposes of the Office of Public Works (including schools), the Local Authorities (Works) Act, 1949, and the Small Dwellings Acquisition Acts— was announced as recently as the 23rd of last month, it would be too early to expect that the allocation would already have been reflected in a significant improvement in the unemployment figures.
While a seasonal increase in the numbers on the live register is usual in the early part of each year, any suggestion as to what the figures may be early in 1957 can only be speculative. The object of the allocation of £1,000,000 is to prevent any such increase in unemployment as is mentioned in Deputy MacBride's question, and the Government are confident that the expenditure of this sum will have an early favourable effect.
The situation will, in any event, continue to be kept under constant review by the Government, and there will be no delay in considering, if necessary, the practicability of additional short-term measures, pending the results of the Government's long-term programme, as announced by me on the 5th October last.
Does the Government not realise that if any additional remedies are to be brought into operation now is the time to bring them in, not when the crisis has developed further than it has already developed?
We are fully aware of that. The Deputy may take it that the Government is very fully aware of all aspects of the unemployment problem and is constantly keeping it under supervision.
I would ask permission, Sir, to raise this question on the Adjournment.
Is the Taoiseach aware that, since the allocation of the £1,000,000 announced by the Government, the unemployment figure has been rising at the rate of 1,000 per week and the emigration figure, so far as can be calculated, at a similar amount? Is he further aware that the allocation to the special employment schemes and the allocation of £150,000 to Small Dwellings for the whole State is nothing but a method of putting back some of the money which was previously taken away? In fact, the money allocated to the special employment scheme is still less by 50 per cent. than the sum allocated last year.
Major de Valera
Is the sum allocated this year 50 per cent. less than the sum allocated last year?
I could not tell the Deputy what the figures are straight away.
Major de Valera
The Taoiseach cannot tell us what the figures are?
Not at such notice.