asked the Minister for Labour whether his Department have any special facilities available to direct to alternative employment workers whose firms close down.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Employment Direction.
11.
There are no powers of direction in regard to employment, as appears to be suggested in the question.
Workers becoming redundant may expect the Employment Service to help them to find alternative employment. When a case of impending redundancies comes to notice, the local Employment Office keeps in touch with the situation and offers all possible assistance to the workers to find suitable alternative work. The extent to which the Employment Service can help depends, of course, on the availability of suitable vacancies in other firms and the acceptability of the workers to employers with vacancies.
The new Resettlement Allowances Scheme is also available through the Employment Service to enable redundant workers, if they wish, to move to other areas where there are suitable jobs.
Would the Minister suggest where we can reinstate redundant employees from T. & C. Martin's? They can be reinstated in Britain. Is that the only place where they can be reinstated?
If the Deputy wants to make good for himself here out of a specific case, he will have to give notice——
You are the Minister for Labour and I am asking where 300 people who are turned out of work will be re-employed.
The central service of the Department seeks employment openings for them in other areas.
There are no openings.
Does the Deputy think that you can wave a magic wand and find jobs?
Could the Minister say if he has any advice to give workers who are dismissed because they would not join a trade union?
Question No. 12.
I should like to ask a supplementary on No. 11. The name of a particular firm has been mentioned. Would I be right in saying that if a firm with the long record of T. & C. Martin's as a good employer in this country is any criterion, then there are 300 redundant people in Ireland who have good reason to hope that they will be well looked after even though they were unfortunate to have lost their employment as a result of the closure of this firm?
The Deputy thinks that when people lose their jobs, we should have a magic wand. If the Labour Party can think of no other way to solve the problem they are poor indeed.
Is the Minister aware of the Second Economic Programme which was to provide 3,000 jobs a year? The Government's economic planning is magic.
Is the Minister aware that the present Taoiseach in Drogheda at the general election in 1965 promised 84,000 jobs? That is what he promised and where are they today? Live horse and you will get grass.
Deputy L'Estrange misrepresents everything.
Will Deputy L'Estrange cease interrupting?
You promised that, but to hell with the ordinary Irish people now.
I am glad to hear Deputy L'Estrange saying that. He was the first man who sold out to the foreigners Irish land after forming committees for retention of land for Irish farmers and the Irish people.
Order.
What have you to sell? I sold and bought again, and it was my own and nobody ever robbed or plundered a bank to buy it. I will guarantee you that.
Will Deputy L'Estrange cease interrupting?
You deal with Stapleton. Give him the £300 he is due from the time of the election there.
Question No. 12.
Your man bought a car from Stapleton and there must be no ill feeling there.