asked the Taoiseach if he is aware of the continuing emigration from all parts of rural Ireland; and, if so, if he has any plan to offset this undesirable state of affairs.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Emigration from Rural Areas.
3.
The Government's plans, for the remainder of this decade, in relation to employment and emigration are outlined in the Second Programme for Economic Expansion, and will be further elaborated in another publication during the course of the next few months.
Would the Taoiseach not agree, in the light of continuing emigration, that these plans have failed?
The Deputy will be very pleased to know that emigration is less than 25 per cent of what it was in 1956.
They are all gone.
Is the Taoiseach dreaming? Has he been throughout rural Ireland and seen that the country is depopulated, not only the West of Ireland, but Wexford, where I come from?
The Deputy will also be pleased to know that the population is going up.
In view of the fact that the figures issued by the Central Statistics Office show that a number to the extent of 19,000 people from rural Ireland could not be accounted for and in view also of the fact that only 8,000 to 9,000 new jobs have been created within the past 12 months by the Government, how can the Taoiseach now suggest that the numbers leaving this country have been reduced?
Because they are counted.
Who counts them?
I do not know what kind of mathematical head the Taoiseach has.