(Dublin Central) asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs the number of temporary staff his Department will employ to cope with the Christmas mail.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Christmas Mail.
24.
About 2,000.
(Dublin Central): Could the Minister give any indication of the number recruited last year?
In 1974 about 2,380 were employed. It is expected that the number of temporary postmen required this year will be somewhat smaller than in 1974 but this cannot be said with certainty at this juncture.
(Dublin Central): Could the Minister say if that indicates there will be a reduction in the volume of Christmas post this year?
There has been a decline in trend in Christmas postal traffic for some time. My surmise that the number employed may be somewhat smaller is based on the assumption that that is likely to continue. As I said, I cannot make any statement with certainty on this matter at this stage, as I think the Deputy will understand.
(Dublin Central): Did the Minister take into consideration the increase about to take place on the 1st of January next?
That is a separate matter altogether.
(Dublin Central): Is the Minister further aware that it is normal practice for business firms to avail of the cheaper postage and that the majority of such mail will be sent out within the next week or fortnight?
This question deals with temporary staff only.
(Dublin Central): Has the Minister taken that factor into consideration as regards the Christmas postal traffic?
My Department have taken everything into consideration, including that factor, but we will not be certain until the Christmas period is over what foundation there is for such a hypothesis.
Might I ask the Minister, in view of the large number of people not being employed temporarily by his Department over the Christmas period, whether that means that the unemployment rate went up not by 1,000 last week but by 3,000.
That is a separate question. Question No. 25.