Vol. 416 No. 2
8 Mr. Kenny asked the Taoiseach if he will outline, (a) the total number registered as unemployed in each county on 11 February 1992, or nearest date available and (b) the number on pre-retirement allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The information requested by the Deputy is contained in a statement which I propose to circulate in the Official Report.
Following is the statement:
Number of Persons on the Live Register in each County on 31 January 1992.
|
Leinster |
Munster |
||
|
Carlow |
3,607 |
Clare |
5,488 |
|
Dublin |
86,838 |
Cork |
29,751 |
|
Kildare |
8,250 |
Kerry |
9,969 |
|
Kilkenny |
4,169 |
Limerick |
13,511 |
|
Laoighis |
3,389 |
Tipperary |
10,563 |
|
Longford |
2,422 |
Waterford |
8,579 |
|
Louth |
10,582 |
||
|
Meath |
4,355 |
||
|
Offaly |
4,804 |
||
|
Westmeath |
4,474 |
||
|
Wexford |
9,132 |
||
|
Wicklow |
7,926 |
||
|
Ulster |
Connacht |
||
|
Cavan |
2,886 |
Galway |
13,678 |
|
Donegal |
12,749 |
Leitrim |
1,804 |
|
Monaghan |
3,325 |
Mayo |
8,983 |
|
Roscommon |
2,062 |
||
|
Sligo |
3,433 |
There were 7,514 persons, under 65 years, other than smallholders, on the Pre-Retirement Allowance Scheme (PRETA) on 31 January 1992.
In regard to the tabular statement, will the Minister of State say what percentage of the total labour force is now registered as unemployed?
As I said, I will be circulating the statement in the Official Report. It is a statistical question and the figures are in the reply. I will let the Deputy have it as soon as possible.
I must proceed to deal with priority questions.
The greatest priority of the Government is unemployment. Will the Minister of State say what proportion of the total labour force is now registered as unemployed?
That is a separate question.
Not at all.
The Deputy should await the tabular statement.
In 1985 Deputy Albert Reynolds referred to unemployment as a slow burning fuse. Will the Minister say what percentage of the total labour force is now unemployed?
As I said, it is a separate question as the original question did not mention percentages.
Surely the Minister of State could have looked at the files?
It is a statistical question and the Deputy is well aware that the normal procedure is to circulate it in the Official Report.
That is not the normal procedure.
We are now supposed to have open Government. This question referred to the total number registered as unemployed in each county. Surely it is not beyond the Minister's ability to reply?
It is indeed a statistical question.
Tell the Taoiseach to buy a calculator for him.
I am sure Deputy Kenny will find another way of pursuing this matter.
How in the name of high heaven can the Taoiseach and the Government attempt to deal with unemployment if they cannot tell us what percentage of the labour force is now unemployed?
We now move to questions nominated for priority. I ask the House for their co-operation in disposing of the five questions within the 15 minutes laid down in Standing Orders.
