asked the Taoiseach if he will indicate whether there was an increase or decrease in the number of unemployed for the period 1st April, 1972, to 30th April, 1972; and the number, if any, who were re-employed in public works projects.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Unemployment Statistics.
3.
The number of persons on the live register dropped from 77,376 on 30th March, 1972, to 75,129 on 28th April. Information is not available on the numbers who were re-employed in public works projects.
Would it be possible to obtain the number who were re-employed in public works projects?
The Department of Local Government say they are not in a position to supply particulars regarding numbers re-employed in local improvements schemes or other projects.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary not agree that when there was so much money injected into the economy to ensure increased employment in public works projects there should be some way of knowing what the effect was?
You will get the answer on the unemployed register.
There is a comprehensive register kept in relation to the spending of public moneys and it may be possible to relate that to the——
Question No. 4.
4.
asked the Taoiseach the total number on the live register of unemployed in (a) County Longford and (b) County Westmeath at the latest available date; and what measures the Government propose taking to provide employment for these people.
On the 28th April, 1972, the number of persons on the live register, who resided in Counties Longford and Westmeath, was 895 and 992, respectively.
I understand that three advance factories are being built by the Industrial Development Authority in those counties. In addition, three new industrial projects are on stream, designed to give employment of the order of 500 at full production.
In other words— live horse and you will get grass.
That is not in my reply.
Yes, it is. We are told that there are three advance factories being built. We have often heard this in the past. Things around the corner are always rosy. Would the Parliamentary Secretary not admit that the Fianna Fáil Party said a few years ago that their record should be judged on the number of people employed or unemployed? In answer to a question I asked a month ago the Parliamentary Secretary admitted there were 72,000 fewer people employed now than there were 12 years ago and in view of this and as we have 10,000 more unemployed than we had a year ago, will he now admit that Government measures in regard to employment have certainly failed? What do the Government intend to do for those people? The Government are not interested in the poor or in the unemployed now. Is that not true? Everything will be all right now.
(Interruptions.)
I have just told the Deputy that three advance factories are being built by the Industrial Development Authority.
We welcome that but unfortunately there are more unemployed now than for a long time back and pie in the sky is no use to them.