asked the Minister for Finance on the basis of information available to him from the PRSI records, the cost to the State of individuals becoming unemployed in the period 1982 to 1986 as reflected in (a) loss of direct taxation revenue (b) loss of indirect taxation revenue and (c) expenditure required by way of unemployment relief from State funds; and the unemployment figures in each of those years.
Written Answers. - Cost to State of Unemployment.
63.
The position in relation to the points raised is as follows: (a) the main loss in direct taxation would arise on income tax receipts and on pay-related social security contributions. Taxation statistics are not available which would enable the information requested by the Deputy to be compiled; (b) information on the loss of indirect taxation revenue arising from the reduced spending power of unemployed persons is not available; (c) total expenditure by way of unemployment relief from State funds was as follows: employed from outside the Civil Service
|
Unemployment Benefit (including pay-related benefit) |
Unemployment Assistance (including smallholders) |
Redundancy Fund Payments |
|
|
£ |
£ |
£ |
|
|
1982 |
210,731,591 |
168,750,803 |
12,070,693 |
|
1983 |
264,601,907 |
224,065,937 |
17,709,763 |
|
1984 |
258,528,478 |
291,770,320 |
24,878,640 |
|
1985 |
275,140,876 |
351,458,138 |
27,620,985 |
|
1986 |
273,470,000 (provisional) |
391,537,663 |
27,043,194 |
Sources: Department of Social Welfare and Department of Labour.
Unemployment Figures: (average of end-month totals for each year)
|
Live Register |
Number of persons on systematic short-time working |
|
|
Rounded to nearest 100 |
Rounded to nearest 10 |
|
|
1982 |
156,000 |
9,030 |
|
1983 |
192,700 |
8,300 |
|
1984 |
214,200 |
5,300 |
|
1985 |
230,600 |
4,880 |
|
1986 |
236,400 |
4,470 |
Source: Central Statistics Office.