asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state what is his estimate of the total number of emigrants from Ireland between the date of the Census of 1911 and that of the Census of 1926; also his estimate of the number of emigrants from the Free State in each of the following years, namely, 1922, 1923, 1924, 1925 and 1926; and if he will state the information on which his estimates are based.
ORAL ANSWERS. - ESTIMATE OF EMIGRATION.
The number of emigrants from all Ireland between the Censuses of 1911 and 1926 is not known. The number of emigrants from Ireland, less the number of immigrants into Ireland, during the period (or the "net emigration") was 502,020. This figure was arrived at by adding the decline in population to the number of births and deducting the number of deaths during the fifteen years. No element of estimate attaches to this figure for net emigration.
No information is available with regard to emigration from Saorstát Eireann during 1922 or 1923. During the years 1924 to 1926 exact information (compiled from statutory returns) is available with regard to emigration overseas (i.e., to countries outside Europe), not only via Cobh, but also via ports in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The number of emigrants from Saorstát Eireann of Saorstát nationality who sailed for overseas countries in the years 1924, 1925 and 1926 were, respectively, 19,077, 30,180, and 30,041.
With regard to emigration to Great Britain and Northern Ireland during these three years, precise information is not available. Figures compiled from returns of the passenger movement by sea between Saorstát Eireann and Great Britain and Northern Ireland show that in the years 1924, 1925 and 1926 the numbers of these passengers by sea out of the Saorstát exceeded the numbers of passengers inwards by 13,340, 10,060 and 15,638, respectively. These figures include, of course, the balances outwards of overseas emigration from Saorstát Eireann through ports in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. These latter balances outwards during the three years were 5,050, 6,340, and 6,726. Deducting these latter figures from the preceding, it will be seen that the number of emigrants from Saorstát Eireann to Great Britain and Northern Ireland by sea exeeded the number of immigrants therefrom by 8,290 in 1924, 3,720 in 1925, and 8,912 in 1926. To complete these figures it would be necessary to know the number of passengers inwards and outwards over the land frontier of Saorstát Eireann. These figures are not available. It would seem, however, from the foregoing that in none of the three years 1924 to 1926 did the net emigration to Great Britain from Saorstát Eireann via all routes exceed 10,000. Adding to this figure the known net emigration overseas, it is possible to state that net emigration from Saorstát Eireann to all countries never exceeded 40,000 in any of the years 1924 to 1926.
Estimates depending upon the Registrar-General's totals for emigration during the years from 1911 to 1921 are not reliable. The Registrar-General's totals, which had to be compiled under a voluntary system, greatly understated emigration for many years prior to 1921. The statutory returns of the Board of Trade, which must be taken as reliable, show that in the nine years 1913 to 1921 the emigrants from Ireland to countries outside Europe numbered 162,584. The corresponding figure resulting from the Registrar-General's voluntary system understated true overseas emigration from 1913 to 1921 by no less than 43 per cent. during these years.