With your permission, Sir, I propose to take Questions Nos. 5 and 6 together.
I am aware that the figures quoted in the questions under reply have been published in Britain, but I would direct the Deputies' attention to the reply to a somewhat similar question addressed to me in this House on the 4th May.
I said then that these statistics cannot be accepted as a measure of Irish emigration to Britain nor can they be reconciled with the known facts regarding the numbers leaving school in this country and the number of new social insurance cards issued here in each year.
The numbers of new social insurance cards issued here in the three years were 52,101, 54,190 and 56,107, respectively. If these figures are added to the British figures it is obvious that the totals are far in excess of the number of Irish-born persons entering insurable employment for the first time. The numbers in insurable employment in this country increased considerably over the same three year period.
It is clear that the British figures contain a large element of duplication and reference to the statistics relating to the outward balance of passenger movements by sea and air confirms the view, which I earlier expressed, that new emigration to Britain is probably nearer to half the British figures.
As I stated in reply to the previous question, the statistics relating to passenger movements for recent months show a considerable reduction of the outward balance.
