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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 11 Dec 1963

Vol. 206 No. 8

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Emigration to Great Britain.

2.

asked the Taoiseach whether he is aware that immigration figures published in Great Britain have shown that 67,000 persons emigrated from the Republic of Ireland to Great Britain in the year 1961, and that a further 52,000 emigrated there during the year 1962; and if he can now indicate the estimated number of persons who have emigrated to Great Britain since 1st January last.

The position is not as stated. The Deputy has apparently misread the statistics recently published by the British Oversea Migration Board; those statistics do not purport to be statistics of Irish emigration to Britain—they are figures of persons from this country who have registered or re-registered for National Insurance in Britain. For a comment on similar statistics, I would refer the Deputy to my reply to a question in this House on the 4th May, 1961.

It is not possible to compile completely reliable net emigration statistics for other than intercensal periods. The best available indication of the trend of emigration from year to year is to be found in the statistics of passenger movements in and out of the country by sea and air. These statistics are available monthly up to and including October, 1963, but, in view of the seasonal nature of the traffic, it would be misleading to give figures for periods of less than a year. For the year ended the 31st October, 1963, the net outward passenger balances by sea and air to all destinations came to 14,520, as compared with 18,720 for the year ended 31st October, 1962.

Do the figures mentioned here, 67,900 in 1961 and 52,000 in 1962, represent the actual number of persons applying for the first time for social security cards in Britain?

No. They are described as persons registering and re-registering.

Are separate statistics kept?

If they are, I have not got them.

Is it not possible that some of them are the children of families who have been resident in Britain for a number of years but who have sought employment only on reaching the age of 16 years?

That may be possible. I do not know that.

That would be in cases where whole families had moved out.

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