asked the Minister for Labour the number of school leavers in the Dublin area who have secured employment since leaving school.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - School Leavers.
19.
It is not possible at this stage to say how many school leavers in the Dublin area have secured employment. A clear picture of the employment position of school leavers in any year does not emerge until later on in the year or early in the following year. Preparations for a national survey of 1975 school leavers are already under way in my Department and the survey is expected to be completed in March, 1976. I would expect that the information which the Deputy requests should then be available.
Earlier in the year, in reply to a question to the Minister for Education, I think the figure given was 53,000 or 63,000; I cannot remember the exact figure. Surely if that information was available then, the Minister for Labour should be in a position to give us some details in relation to this question?
We did a survey last year and we are doing one this year. There is a great deal of inaccuracy and lack of understanding of the problem of school leavers in the course of the present recession, both here and in Britain. There is quite a lot of misconception about it. Apparently more gain employment than one would have thought possible in the circumstances. In other words, they are not as heavily afflicted with unemployment by comparison with other groups worse hit. We are striving to get accurate figures of the extent of unemployment so as to gear any projects we may undertake to meet the real needs of the situation rather than imaginary needs. Based on the next survey—we have already announced certain pilot projects—we would hope to have these extended throughout the country and I think that is the correct way to proceed.
Is the Minister in a position to say when any further information will be available? When will this survey be carried out or when may we expect results?
It is in course of preparation at present and we should have the results by end of February/March next year.