asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce what steps he will take to meet the criticism of the Government's statement on manpower policy relating to the Government's failure to adopt the recommendation of the National Industrial Economic Council and the Irish National Productivity Committee that the National Manpower Agency should not be conducted by the Department of Social Welfare; if he is aware of the lack of public confidence in the ability of the present institutions to provide an adequate reemployment service; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Manpower Policy.
126.
I presume the Deputy is referring to the decision that the employment service should be operated on an agency basis by the Department of Social Welfare for the National Manpower Agency which will be responsible for decisions on matters of policy relating to the Service.
It is intended that all necessary steps will be taken to develop the Employment Service so that it will be a fully effective instrument for placement and guidance activities within the framework of the Government's manpower policy. Full consideration was given to all the opinions expressed on this matter and it was decided that the quickest way to put an improved service into effect was by arranging for the Department of Social Welfare to operate it under the direction of the National Manpower Agency.
Considering the undoubted fact that the labour exchanges have a thoroughly bad name, and that there are very many employers who will not consult them for the purpose of getting employees, and that there are even unemployed people who are slow to go there feeling that no reasonable effort to employ them will be made, what steps are the Government taking to overcome this natural hostility?
I am glad the Deputy raised that question. We did indeed consider this because it is a reality. It is a matter of speed to put an effective placement service into operation as soon as it is practicable to do so. In the meantime, all we can do is try to create a situation in which people will regard this placement service as effective. We are satisfied that if we get the right people to do the job this can be done, because this image which I think is unfair to the Department of Social Welfare is not peculiar to this country. We will certainly need co-operation from all sides, political and otherwise.