asked the Minister for Finance the number of jobs lost in Galway city and county in the last two, four, six, eight, ten and 12 months.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Galway Job Losses.
3.
It is estimated that 650 jobs were lost in manufacturing industry in the non-Gaeltacht areas of County Galway in the 12 months to the end of April 1981. The breakdown is as follows:
|
Last two months |
178 |
|
Last four months |
239 |
|
Last six months |
239 |
|
Last eight months |
279 |
|
Last ten months |
592 |
|
Last twelve months |
650 |
A similar estimate is not available for Gaeltacht areas but a survey of industries grant-aided by Údarás na Gaeltachta showed a nett decrease in employment of 114 in the year to 31 December 1980.
What was the last figure?
One hundred and fourteen.
What plans have the Government for re-employing those people?
I would emphasise first that these are job losses and that almost half that figure, 300, relates to the closure of Tynagh Mines, there not being any more mining material there. Perhaps I should indicate to the Deputy what has been done.
What jobs have been provided?
The IDA target for the period 1978-82 is 4,200 new jobs. During the past three years the IDA have approved 205 industrial projects for Galway with a job potential of 3,800 at full production. In January last the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Tourism announced that 12 new factories with a total area of 40,000 square feet would be constructed in Galway and on 27 April the Minister announced a new project for Clifden with a potential of 25 new jobs at full production. The Galway county development team who are responsible for promoting indigenous small industries have a target of 350 for 1981 but they hope to exceed that target. The team succeeded in obtaining IDA approval for 580 jobs in 1980 against a target of 250. That is not a bad performance.
Having regard to the figures in respect of unemployment for Galway city and county, are there included in those figures the people laid off recently in Oranmore Concrete?
I would expect so.
There were about 200 jobs lost there.
I have the figure here. It is 178.
In replying to the question about the number of jobs lost, why did the Minister refer only to those jobs lost in manufacturing industry?
Simply because of the difficulty there would be in the Department in finding the statistics for other types of jobs. Redundancy figures are one source of information. These are normally fewer than total job losses but I have endeavoured to give the House the best information available to me.
Therefore, would the Minister not agree that the figure is much larger than that given to the House?
I would not agree.
(Interruptions.)
I am calling the next question.
Is it the position that not one non-manufacturing job has been lost in County Galway in the past 12 months?