asked the Minister for Labour whether the job forecasting service in his Department is now operational; whether any report from this service will be available; and, if so, when.
45.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Job Forecasting Service.
44.
asked the Minister for Labour whether his Department are at present conducting any examination of employment trends here; and whether his Department intend publishing any report on the employment situation.
I propose with your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, to take Questions Nos. 44 and 45 together. The forecasting service of my Department is not yet operational, as the head of the unit took up duty only this month and will be engaged for some time yet on familiarisation and training. It is too soon to say when a report from the unit can be expected.
The Central Statistics Office publish statistics and other information about employment trends in The Trend of Employment and Unemployment annually and in the Irish Statistical Bulletin quarterly. It is not intended to duplicate that information, but it will, in time, be supplemented by forecasts made by the Manpower Forecasting Unit.
Has the Minister any comment to make on the serious situation indicated by the fact that, on 13th March, 1968, there were 65,308 people registered as unemployed in this country? It is an alarming unemployment situation, especially when taken against the background of 20,000 people leaving the country last year.
The Deputy asked about a forecasting unit.
I asked about employment trends.
I answered that question.
Is the Minister aware that when a member of the Labour Party was Minister for Industry and Commerce in this country, the unemployment rate was over 100,000?
Are the Minister and Deputy MacEntee aware that, under a Fianna Fáil Government, there were 135,000 unemployed?
Never.
Yes.
It was a hangover from the Cumann na nGaedheal Government.
That explanation is no compensation to the people who are now unemployed. Is it proposed, in this forecasting service, actually to have contact with individual firms to find out employment trends—or, more likely, in the circumstances now prevailing, unemployment trends? Does the Minister intend to have this service attached to each firm in the country?
The service is not yet well established. Manpower forecasting is a new science. There has not been any significant breakthrough in the field anywhere in Europe, but it is intended that the forecasting would be short-term and medium-term. I can see that from time to time there would be need for and a demand for the supply of immediate forecasts which would require a study of occupations and areas but whether it would come down to individual firms, I do not know. I would say that occupations and categories of workers would come into it.