Vol. 346 No. 8
(Dublin North-West) asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will consider setting up employment exchange offices at Finglas and Ballymun, Dublin, which would relieve the present financial hardships suffered by the large number of unemployed people in these areas who have to travel to Dublin city at present.
11.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he is aware of the hardship and expense which are being inflicted on people in the Finglas/Ballymun/Glasnevin areas, Dublin, who attend at the employment exchange; and the position regarding the long standing proposal to locate an employment exchange in that area with a view to offering some relief to them.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 10 and 11 together.
My Department have plans to provide a full employment exchange service for the Finglas area and a site has been acquired at Mellowes Road, Finglas. Plans for the new premises are proceeding with the Office of Public Works but it is not yet possible to say when the new service will be operational. It is proposed that the new employment exchange at Finglas will also serve the Ballymun-Glasnevin area.
(Dublin North-West): When does the Minister think the building will be erected?
The site has only just been acquired and planning permission has not yet been sought. It is a 1.5 acre site which will take the employment exchange, the social welfare office and the National Manpower Service. Given the necessary resources it will take at least two years.
(Dublin North-West): Is the Minister aware of the difficulty which would be encountered by people living in Ballymun in getting to that building? They would be worse off than at present because there is not a direct bus link. Would the Minister agree to acquire a further site in the Ballymun area as there is scope for a similar exchange there?
I have no proposals to acquire another site in that general area. When this building is complete it will provide a fully comprehensive service rather than a fragmented service.
(Dublin North-West): Will the Minister reconsider the matter of people from Ballymun having to go to Finglas? They would be better off going into the city centre.
Where it is shown that one exchange would be easier to get to than another, of course we will examine the matter.
