asked the Taoiseach the number of (1) male and (2) female persons who emigrated to (a) the United States and (b) Canada in each of the years from 1947 to 1959, inclusive.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Emigration to United States and Canada.
6.
Particulars of the numbers of emigrants to the United States and Canada are available only in respect of those who travelled by sea. In addition information is available concerning passports issued to all persons going to employment or permanent residence in the United States and Canada.
I propose, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, to circulate in the Official Report a statement showing (1) the numbers of persons who emigrated by sea to the United States or Canada in each year 1947 to 1959, (2) the numbers of persons going to employment or permanent residence in the United States or Canada to whom passports were issued in each year 1947 to 1959.
Following is the statement:
(1) NUMBER of males and females who emigrated by sea to the United States and Canada in each of the years 1947 to 1959.
|
Year |
United States |
Canada |
||
|
Males |
Females |
Males |
Females |
|
|
1947 |
1,036 |
1,021 |
137 |
113 |
|
1948 |
2,667 |
2,043 |
436 |
185 |
|
1949 |
3,350 |
3,366 |
520 |
164 |
|
1950 |
3,533* |
293* |
||
|
1951 |
1,971* |
367* |
||
|
1952 |
816 |
1,648 |
445 |
286 |
|
1953 |
1,043 |
1,679 |
1,087 |
527 |
|
1954 |
1,549 |
2,010 |
976 |
664 |
|
1955 |
1,436 |
1,964 |
468 |
381 |
|
1956 |
1,671 |
1,990 |
990 |
564 |
|
1957 |
1,360 |
1,506 |
907 |
742 |
|
1958 |
809 |
1,077 |
168 |
260 |
|
1959 |
617 |
756 |
135 |
153 |
*Separate figures for males and females not available.
(2) NUMBER of males and females going to Employment or Permanent Residence in U.S.A. or Canada to whom passports were issued in each of the years 1947-59.
|
Year |
U.S.A. |
Canada |
||
|
Males |
Females |
Males |
Females |
|
|
(a) Including wives on husbands' passports but excluding children on parents' passports |
||||
|
1947 |
1,577 |
1,039 |
155 |
24 |
|
1948 |
4,655 |
3,269 |
728 |
175 |
|
1949 |
2,638 |
2,697 |
575 |
127 |
|
1950 |
1,183 |
1,824 |
228 |
87 |
|
1951 |
733 |
1,566 |
325 |
139 |
|
1952 |
892 |
1,785 |
400 |
218 |
|
1953 |
1,245 |
2,078 |
1,229 |
495 |
|
1954 |
1,649 |
2,294 |
690 |
451 |
|
1955 |
1,538 |
2,223 |
301 |
248 |
|
1956 |
2,073 |
2,596 |
1,024 |
547 |
|
1957 |
3,407 |
3,482 |
1,958 |
1,158 |
|
1958 |
2,162 |
2,931 |
290 |
341 |
|
1959 |
2,000 |
2,884 |
220 |
197 |
|
(b) Including wives on husbands' passports and children on parents' passports |
||||
|
1957 |
3,785 |
3,891 |
2,518 |
1,691 |
|
1958 |
2,509 |
3,267 |
383 |
437 |
|
1959 |
2,212 |
3,103 |
267 |
260 |
Figures including children on parents' passports are not available prior to 1957.
Might I ask the Parliamentary Secretary why the particulars are available only in respect of persons who went by sea? I understood him to say that.
That is so. These are the only figures available from the Central Statistics Office.
Why is it not possible to get the figures of those who travel by air?
At the economy emigration rate?
Figures are given in respect of the numbers of persons going to employment or permanent residence to whom passports were issued.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary say is the issue of passports intended to cover those who travel by air?
All those who go to the United States.
Certainly, but the Deputy would arrive at a false conclusion if he considered only the number of passports issued because it is well known that people sometimes apply for passports and visas for travel purposes who eventually do not use them. There is not full information available regarding the number of people who travel by air as permanent emigrants.
I want to ascertain what are the facts, irrespective of what direction they point, in respect of those who leave this country as emigrants to Canada and to the United States. I would be satisfied with any kind of answer that gives me these figures.
I think the Deputy will find that the figures he has got will give him a very clear picture of the decline in emigration to the U.S.A. and Canada.
Will the fact that the air figures are not included render the figures unreliable?
There is not a precise figure, if that is what the Deputy is seeking. I can give him precise figures regarding the number of people intending to emigrate who travel by sea. I cannot give him a figure in regard to those travelling by air. However, I can give him a more comprehensive figure—the number of passports issued to persons desiring to travel to U.S.A. and Canada.
The issue of passports covers, in fact, the emigrants?
On the assumption that everyone who got a passport did emigrate, which is not, perhaps, a correct assumption.
Why is it possible to collate information in respect of passengers carried by sea? Why is there a difficulty about collating identical information about passengers who travel by air?
The Deputy had better give notice of that question.