asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if, in view of the fact that Ireland as compared with the rest of the EEC has a very small portion of its labour force, 19 per cent, employed in manufacturing industry, and that the services sector is proportionately on a par with the rest of the EEC and in view of the decline in agricultural employment, he is satisfied that in order to absorb an expanding labour force, employment opportunities must be provided in manufacturing industry and if he is satisfied that Government policies are achieving this end.
Written Answers. - Industrial Employment.
294.
The provision of employment opportunities in manufacturing industry, as well of course as in other industry and in services, has been recognised by the Government as necessary, to absorb the expanding labour force and to relieve unemployment, and Government policies have been designed to achieve these objectives. While these policies have been successful in securing the creation of substantial new employment opportunities in the last few years, the world wide economic recession has resulted in a large number of redundancies in existing employment. There is therefore a net decline in employment in manufacturing industry in the current year. Every effort is being made to remedy this situation by assisting firms that are encountering difficulties, and by urgently seeking new investment, both by Irish firms and foreign firms. I am confident that as soon as economic conditions improve, we will return to the position where there is significant net job creation each year as a result of the Government's policies.