asked the Minister for Labour the number of redundancies offered by local authorities to members of their work forces during the current year.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Local Authority Redundancies.
23.
Since the beginning of this year I have been notified by six local authorities of the redundancies of a total of 18 persons qualified to receive payments under the Redundancy Payments Acts, 1967 to 1973.
If I may repeat the question for the Minister, I asked him for information about the number of redundancies offered by local authorities to their work forces.
I have just answered that.
The Minister did not. The Minister's answer——
Let us not argue. Let us proceed by way of question and answer.
Could I ask the Minister if he is aware that the reply he has given is not a reply to the question I have on the Order Paper and if he will further read the question which I have down and which is in no way related to the answer he has submitted?
That is argument.
The question I have asked——
Are we going to have a repetition of the question for the third time? The Deputy must know that is not in order.
It may not be in order but it is also not in order for the Minister not to be aware of how many redundancy notices have been offered—and I emphasise the word "offered"—to employees of local authorities?
I just told the Deputy the number of redundancies of which my Department have been notified by the various local authorities.
Would the Minister accept from me the information that such notices are widespread throughout the country, and could I ask him now if he will take steps to ensure that at least in this year of very high unemployment local authorities will be requested to retain their work forces, even if it means transferring them to different sections?
The Deputy is entering into an area——
I am not.
——which is not the responsibility of the Minister in question.
I presume he is responsible for the Department of Labour.
He is not responsible for the Department of Local Government.
He is not responsible.
Would the Deputy put a relevant question? Otherwise I will pass on to the next question.
I object strenuously. Redundancies come under the Minister for Labour of the day, whether they be in the public service or the private sector.
A question.
Would the Minister take steps to ensure that no unemployment is created in the public sector?
I think we should take steps to go on to the next question.
In other words, the Minister is not prepared to prevent the 37 workers who have been notified in my own county——
Question No. 24.