asked the Taoiseach (a) the latest figure available for registered unemployment and (b) the means adopted by the Government to inform themselves on the unemployment situation on a weekly basis during the continuance of the postal strike.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Unemployment Position.
1.
The most recent complete live register total relates to 9 February 1979. This was 102,285. Since the commencement of the postal dispute it has not been possible to obtain regular returns on a weekly basis from every local employment office. However, it has been possible, by means of telephone contact, to obtain weekly information, with some delay, from about two-thirds of these offices. The most recent date for which an aggregate live register figure for this group of offices is available is 23 March; this total was 73,366 which compares with 76,518 for the same group of offices on 9 February.
On a previous occasion I understand that the Minister mentioned 23 February in this context. Has he any figure for that later date?
On the previous occasion to which the Deputy refers I was replying to a question from Deputy Ryan. I had then a figure up to 23 February. This was procured by telephone. The Deputy asked me if I had national figures up to that date and I told him I could assume that the national figures were available but it transpired that this was not so and that the figure I had referred to two-thirds of the offices.
Would the Minister agree, therefore, that the figures he has given relate to about three-quarters of the population we are talking of?
They relate to two-thirds.
Regardless of the postal strike, is there any chance of obtaining details of the complete figures for the entire country?
No. The information has been collected by way of telephone but there are areas that cannot be contacted in this way.
Surely benefits are being paid every week. Would it not be possible to ascertain from the Department of Social Welfare how much is being paid out?
Benefits are being paid by the Department of Social Welfare whose efforts are geared to paying out benefits that are needed badly. The priority in this regard is not the counting of heads.
(Interruptions.)
Order.
Surely it would be a simple matter to ascertain how much money is being paid out each week under the various heads. The Department of Social Welfare must have that information. They must know from their register how many people they are supporting.
The Deputy is suggesting that I ascertain from the Department of Social Welfare how much money is being spent each week but that is not what the question is about.
I have asked the Minister what is the Government's information about unemployment. This is the conventional way of eliciting such information. I appreciate the difficulties caused by the postal strike but allowing for those difficulties I have asked for the current figures. The figures given by the Minister relate to about three-quarters of the offices but he has not given us any information regarding the remainder of the offices. I am suggesting that it would be possible to let us have the entire figure by ascertaining from the Department of Social Welfare how much money is being paid out each week to the various categories and by dividing that amount by the appropriate weekly payment. Is the telephone being answered in the Custom House?
On the basis of the information given to the House is it not reasonable to assume that globally unemployment remains at more than 100,000?
On the basis of the information I have given it would be more reasonable to assume that the figure is somewhat less than 100,000.
(Interruptions.)
Order. I am calling Question No. 2.
Is it not a fantastic situation that arms of the Government are paying out money but that the Government do not know how much is being paid out?
While it might be difficult to ascertain the total amount of money being paid out in any week, is it not a simple matter to ascertain how many payments are involved in each category?
That is what I have been suggesting.
But that is not the question that was asked in the first place. The question relates to the latest figures for registered unemployment but the Deputies are suggesting now that I should know the amount of money being paid out.
It should not be difficult to ascertain the number of payments involved in each category. Is it the position that the Minister is trying to avoid giving what would be a very non-political answer, that is, that the unemployment figure is in excess of 100,000?
(Interruptions.)
The Deputies know that there is a reduction in the unemployment figures.
This Minister will not give us figures for anything. He treats them as if they were roller skates.
I give them due attention but no more.
What is the new inflation figure?
(Interruptions.)
Order. I presume Deputy Kelly wishes questions to continue.
What about the Minister?
This is disorderly.