: I was referring to the employment incentive scheme. I am glad Deputy Mitchell interrupted me because I will now proceed to give Deputy Mitchell some eye-opening figures. A scheme was introduced in 1977 and, as Opposition spokesman at that time, in the interests of employment creation, I asked to have it extended to include the real areas where jobs could be created especially for our young people. I will now give Deputy Mitchell some figures.
The scheme was initiated on 28 February 1977 and from then until July, 17 employers availed of it in respect of 48 employees, and the payment made was £14,500. In 1978 there was a return of confidence. The climate then was different from the climate when the Coalition Government were gradually crashing on the rocks. Whereas in 1977 the number of employees was 48, in an approximately similar period, from 1 January to 19 May 1978, the number was 3,080. Instead of 17 employers, we had 548 availing of the scheme and instead of a payment of £14,500 we had a payment of £1,134,000. It is no harm to put that on the record. The total payment for nine months in 1977 was £800,000.
My colleague made certain references to this scheme. Despite the progress made I am disappointed, too, at the number of employers who availed of it. In addition to the manufacturing industry and the agricultural industry, it now applies to the hotel and catering industry, the service industries and the building sector. I want to appeal to other employers, in the interests of creating jobs and giving young people job opportunities, to avail of the scheme to a greater extent. I am hoping at the Council of Ministers meeting in June—not least because of pressure from us in recent times—there will be serious discussions at last on the provision of employment aids under the social fund scheme.
I heard a lot of unwarranted criticism of the Employment Action Team during the course of this debate. These are a group of dedicated people, all busy in their various fields, giving up their time voluntarily to participate in the national effort at job creation. This is the first time trade union representatives, employer representatives, youth organisations, local authorities, the Government and others have sat down together to help in the task of providing jobs for Irish people.
They met the target set by me with great speed, that is, to propose to the Government areas where 5,000 jobs could be provided for young people in line with our election manifesto. Within two months of that team being established, they had identified areas with a potential for more than 4,900 jobs. At present they are studying a further five proposals which I hope to have soon. This team have done an excellent job. They have given freely of their time. They have worked hard. It is not becoming for Opposition Deputies to level criticisms at such a hard-working group working in a very difficult area.
The Government took office with a commitment to tackle unemployment which the Coalition had ignored. They refused to face it and eventually they were run out of office as a result, with the same disgrace as their inter-party predecessors. I have been so impressed with the dedication and co-operation of the organisations represented on the Employment Action Team, and the individuals concerned, that I am confident there is a need for a permanent advisory body on youth employment. I am examining the team in that context.
In my introductory speech I referred to the proposals for the implementation of the work experience programme at present being worked out by the National Manpower Service in consultation with appropriate agencies. I wish to place on record that the new subhead in the Estimate may have to cover certain types of expenditure in connection with the programme other than the allowances to the young persons participating in the programme. The final details have not yet been agreed, but the subhead makes provision for the full financial requirements envisaged. While details of the programme are being finalised at present, as I said in my opening speech, it is proposed to have a number of pilot schemes in operation by July. Arrangements are expected to be completed in time to enable 3,000 places to be provided in the programme by the end of this year.
At present work experience is very valuable for young people seeking employment. Every Deputy will be aware of the difficulties facing young people who have not had work experience when they face an interview. The benefits of work experience will then be seen. Training and skills, as they have been provided, have proved how much easier it is to place people with a certain amount of experience and training than it is to place those who have come green from schools and have no such training or experience.
This scheme should play a valuable part and the Employment Action Team deserve our thanks for having introduced it as it is in line with some of the schemes already introduced in other European countries and is operating with reasonable success.
In line with the Employment Action Team and with regard to Deputy Mitchell's remarks on the survey in Ballyfermot, employment on this scheme was never presented as other than short term. The survey has of course a two-fold purpose. In addition to the importance of this type of employment, short term though it may be, in giving valuable and very worth-while work experience to participants, it also has the purpose of gathering information on labour availability which would otherwise be unattainable. Furthermore, it will not only give short term employment and experience to the young people referred to; it will also indicate whether similar surveys in other areas can fill important gaps in our information.
Deputy J. Ryan and other Deputies referred to the necessity for an overall manpower policy. For that proper type of manpower policy information of the type gathered by this survey is invaluable. The National Manpower Service was referred to, and one of my first moves as Minister was to increase the strength of the National Manpower Service. Some speakers here referred to the necessity for extra staff personnel. They were right. I often said when in Opposition that at a time of high unemployment it was necessary that the manpower service should be at reasonable strength to cope with what is for them an extremely difficult task. As a result of interviews carried out I am happy to say that 30 people are being recruited who will increase substantially the strength of the National Manpower Service. I have a high regard for the standard of the people involved in the National Manpower Service. I have visited many of their offices throughout the country and I was amazed to hear that I was the first Minister to visit their office at O'Connell Bridge House.
A self-service innovation was introduced on an experimental basis in the Dublin office of the National Manpower Service last week. The self service consists of displaying information on vacancies in such a manner that they may be studied by job seekers and these job seekers make their own choice and are then put in touch with the employer concerned. This service commenced on 22 May and during the first week about 1,000 people examined the list of vacancies on display. This was encouraging for the National Manpower people and for those who innovated this system. The number of people who were sent for interview as a result of it was 237 in the first week. It is known that 51 placements in jobs have been made so far and a large number of employers have failed to convey their decision to the National Manpower Service. The activities of the past week in this regard exceeded all expectations. Already the facilities provided there have been found to require expansion, and arrangements are being made urgently to have additional staff, equipment and funds made available to cope with the demands. The main purpose of this self-service is to speed up the filling of vacancies and to reduce the cost of doing so. We are continuing of course to do this with our normal placement and interview facilities, including advice and guidance for people who fail to find vacancies to suit them on this manpower list.
Many references were made to industrial relations during the course of this debate. Deputy Kerrigan referred to the importance of the personnel function and Deputy O'Brien mentioned the role of the personnel officer. The personnel function has now assumed too much importance to be regarded in a negative light. Recently, at the annual conference of the Institute of Personnel Management, I pointed out that personnel managers must, among other things, have the trust and confidence of those with whom they have to work at both management and shop floor level. The means are available to those who wish to foster good industrial relations. All that is required is the will. I repeat what I have often said: that in our most successful industries, where the vast majority of Irish workers and most Irish industry move along happily every day without any difficulties, you will find that emphasis and importance has been placed on the personnel function.
Deputy Ahern mentioned the rights commissioner service. This was set up in 1970 as a result of the 1969 Act. It is a voluntary service and at present seems to be acceptable in that voluntary form. The Commission of Industrial Relations had their first meeting on Tuesday of this week. They no doubt, in line with their examination of the Labour Court and its functions, will obviously be looking at areas which include the operation of the rights commissioners. I am hoping to have an interim report on the Labour Court which will cover all the ancillaries concerned.
A number of Deputies mentioned lightning and unofficial strikes. This is a major area of concern because of the extreme difficulty caused for the fellow-workers of the strikers and also perhaps for industry and for the community. The trade union movement need the support of their members. Official and agreed procedures should be used to the full in times of dispute. Unofficial action by one person or by a group of individuals can be detrimental to all the institutions concerned—to industry, to the country and to the trade union whose members take this action. The number of man-days lost through official strikes is a substantial percentage of the total number of man-days lost. The number of unofficial strikes is substantially greater than the number of official strikes.
Deputy Kerrigan referred to the grant to the Irish Congress of Trade Unions. This grant was about £29,850 immediately prior to the Department of Labour taking responsibility for it in 1973-74, but it has been increasing since then and this year it is £193,000. I am aware of the excellent work the ICTU are doing through their educational and advisory services for the trade union movement and I am endeavouring to ensure that the basis of the grant is the most advantageous that can be obtained, having due regard to the availability of funds from the Exchequer.
The Labour Court was referred to by some Deputies, as was the role of the Minister for Labour in this context. The Minister has functions in relation to industrial relations, manpower policy, industrial training, worker protection, conditions of employment, the occupation, safety and health welfare of workers and the creation of employment opportunities. In so far as industrial relations are concerned the Minister for Labour can only encourage a more positive approach. He cannot insist on both sides of industry living in perpetual harmony. However, although neither I nor any other Minister can compel them to come together and settle their dispute if they are not so inclined, it is the job of the Minister, in consultation with employer and trade union interests, to try to bring about a climate which will not be conducive to strife. The Industrial Relations Commission I referred to are a positive contribution in this area. They are representative of the practitioners on both sides, people with very valuable and very valued experience, in addition to a number of independent persons with expertise in that field. That commission can make a worth-while contribution to the future of our industrial relations.
The question of apprentices and their release for educational purposes was referred to also, and some Deputies referred to problems in this regard and to the need for better liaison between AnCO and the education authorities. Apprentices attending AnCO training centres are given instruction in the manual, diagnostic and planning skills that are necessary and are given also by AnCO instructors essential craft knowledge. The apprentices are released to the vocational schools and to the regional technical colleges where they are taught the additional theoretical knowledge that is required in such subjects as technical drawing, mathematics, craft calculations and general education. When AnCO published their plans for the new apprenticeship system in 1976, following extensive consultations with the Department of Education, it was envisaged that release for the education input to apprenticeship would be on the basis of at least one day per week or the equivalent for the academic year in the first three years of apprenticeship. That is the basis on which AnCO have operated since September 1976. Following some controversy recently about arrangements for the release of AnCO first-year apprentices into the education system, the matter is now being reviewed in discussions which are in progress between officials of my Department, the Department of Education and AnCO with a view to overcoming the problems that have arisen. Certain proposals have emerged from these discussions and these are now being considered by AnCO and by the Department of Education. Proposals for a more formal liaison mechanism between AnCO and educational interests at both national and local level are being examined also in the course of the discussions and I am confident that satisfactory arrangements can be worked out.
Some Deputies referred to a scarcity of skills, particularly in the building industry. From my constituency experience I am aware that this situation is creating difficulties in some areas. There is a substantial increase in the training of apprentices and in the retraining carried out by AnCO during the current year. There was criticism of AnCO from some Deputies with regard to one industry but I wish to repeat that the primary responsibility for training rests with the industry concerned. AnCO have contributed to an immense development in training, to updating skills and they will continue to do so on an expanding scale. The provision of the finance as shown in the Estimate is an indication of the Government's further commitment to the Industrial Training Authority which was established in 1967 by the man who is now our President.
There was reference, too, to emigration. Deputy Mitchell referred in a loose type of manner to this question and he quoted from a publication in this regard. I should like to put on the record the situation regarding emigration. In order to belie those who tried to imply otherwise, Fianna Fáil brought emigration to an end in 1971. In the few years up to 1976 there was net immigration but the Coalition reversed that situation. In the period March 1976 to February 1977 the recorded figure for emigration was 6,700, the first record of emigration from 1971. It has been Fianna Fáil policy always that nobody should have to emigrate because of economic necessity and the policy of this Government will be to provide work for anybody who wishes to work here. This will be our continued commitment.
