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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 8 Feb 1967

Vol. 226 No. 6

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Live Register Returns.

9.

asked the Taoiseach what is the estimated number of persons in the category described in the note to the Central Statistics Office return of 5th January, 1967 relating to persons on the live register.

The statement issued on 5th January, 1967 gave particulars of the number of persons on the Live Register at 30th December, 1966, 16th December, 1966 and 9th December, 1966. At these dates the numbers of persons of the type described in the footnote to the statement were, 11,521, 11,336 and 11,447 respectively.

Would I be correct then in believing that, if the true figures for unemployment as expressed this time 12 months ago were published, there would be at present 75,000 people on the roll of the unemployed in this country?

The details of the changed method of assessing the live register were made clear to the House more than 12 months ago.

May I put the question simply? We are informed that the total number on the register of unemployed as of today is of the order of 64,000. Am I right in saying that the true comparison with the figures given this time last year would be 75,000? There are two ways of dealing with unemployment, and Fianna Fáil are employing both. One is to send 300,000 to Great Britain and the other is to declare 11,000 of them to be non-existent, but they are still there.

10.

asked the Taoiseach the number that would have been on the live register on the 13th January, 1967 by comparison with the figure under the new system of 64,373 if such number had been computed on the system in force prior to 7th January, 1966.

The detailed description of the revised method of publication of unemployment statistics, given in the December, 1965 issue of the Irish Statistical Bulletin, explains that inevitably the change in the method of assessing "means" in respect of certain smallholders under the Unemployment Assistance Acts, has introduced a break in the continuity of the live register figures. Since it is not administratively feasible to distinguish the "newly eligible smallholders" from the "smallholders" who were previously qualified, it is not possible to provide the estimate requested by the Deputy.

That is very convenient.

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