asked the Minister for Labour the number of persons retrained by AnCO in 1975 and 1976; and the number of such persons who succeeded in obtaining employment subsequently.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Retrained Workers.
33.
The number of persons retrained by AnCO, that is adults trained in main courses, was 5,972 in 1975 and 4,925 in the first nine months of 1976. Some trainees are placed in employment by AnCO, some through the National Manpower Service and some through arrangements with employers without reference to official agencies.
Of those retrained in 1975 and the first nine months of 1976, AnCO placed 3,075 and 2,436 respectively.
The National Manpower Service has also succeeded in placing AnCO trained adults, but the National Manpower Service records do not distinguish between AnCO trainees and other job seekers. Official information is not available about persons finding employment through their own efforts or who after receiving AnCO training are self-employed.
Can the Minister give any explanation for the drop in the figures for the first nine months of this year compared with last year? The trend seems to be downwards.
As the Deputy knows, our objective has been to ensure that as many people as possible are placed in employment. We do not have a distinction between those placed in employment by the National Manpower Service and those who have not been through AnCO training courses. At the year's end we shall be in a better position to judge authoritatively how well we have succeeded.
The Minister misunderstood my question. I asked him why there appears to be a drop in the number of persons retrained by AnCO from the 1975 figure of 5,972 to 4,025 for the first nine months of this year.
Many courses start at this time of the year. The figure I have given is for a ninemonth period. The general objective of the training courses is to meet the increase in the numbers coming into process each year. I am sure that by the end of the year it will be found that the numbers trained this year show an increase on the figure for last year.
I look forward to that.