asked the Minister for Labour if his Department have considered or will consider the acute problems which will arise for school-leavers in the current year in relation to job opportunities, in view of the high unemployment figure.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Job Opportunities.
42.
I have had a special survey carried out by the National Manpower Service of my Department, of the career patterns of last year's school-leavers. The results of this survey are still being evaluated and I intend to make the findings available to the authorities concerned with job creation and training.
I have already announced, during the debates on the Protection of Young Persons (Employment) Bill, my intention to set up a special advisory committee, which would be representative of various interests, to advise on the whole question of youth employment. I would hope that this committee will make a contribution to the evolution of proposals for dealing with school-leavers' employment problems.
The Minister's reply is in the long term. What I am concerned with is whether the Minister's Department have considered the acute situation which will arise for school-leavers in a few months' time as a result of the present unemployment situation? Have the Department given any special consideration to providing, even on a temporary basis, jobs within State or semi-State bodies?
There is continuous attention being paid by the Government to the existing unemployment situation. The direct employment creating agencies do not fall within my responsibility. The IDA is the main State agency in this area. In general the Government's response to the unemployment situation has lain in the field of capital investment. Our investment this year is the largest ever in this area. It would be naïve to pretend that this country could escape the worst repercussions of unemployment which has afflicted every country in Europe. The Deputy can rest assured that throughout this year we shall maintain a very vigilant eye on the situation. There should, hopefully, be an upswing with seasonal summer improvement but it would be rash to pretend that this problem will disappear as long as the international recession continues. In our own area of training, we have the largest investment ever in the training programme of the Government. The most profitable use that can be made of this time of recession here at home is to prepare for the upswing when it occurs, as occur it will.
The Minister has missed the point of my question. He will agree that in the present situation a particular problem will arise for school-leavers this year. Where does he see opportunities in this country for school-leavers and if there are no opportunities within the country where does he think the opportunities are and what steps are his Department and the Government taking?
Undoubtedly there will be problems for school-leavers this year. The Manpower Service are attempting against great odds to keep up the record of placement we have had in years past and despite the bad unemployment situation that record is still pretty good in most areas. There is still, despite high unemployment, a great shortage of skilled manpower in various parts of the country. My response to the situation, with Government approval, has been to mop up as many unemployed as possible by an expansion of our training facilities. This is one way of ensuring that we utilise this period of slack to the utmost advantage of the economy. The Government do not pretend that there can be any real breakthrough in the unemployment situation until international recovery takes place.
Where is there a scarcity of skills and what are the skills? Has the Minister considered the possibility of transferring people with the necessary skills from one area to another?
There is mobility. The National Manpower Service maintains this assistance for skilled manpower to transfer. Of course this period of unemployment puts extra strain on the Manpower Service because this is a time when information about job availability is more crucial than ever. This applies especially in the skilled area.
In what skills are there shortages?
The main range of engineering skills. There are still shortages there.
In what part of the country?
I do not have that information readily available to me but I will supply the Deputy with whatever information is available.
I would appreciate that. The location and the skills. I find it very hard to believe.
I will provide the information and perhaps then, like Thomas, the Deputy will believe.