asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health whether his attention has been drawn to the statement made on the 16th February that for the last five years the tendency of our population to decline has been greatly arrested, if not completely stopped, and whether, in view of the importance to industry, agriculture and other national interests, and in view of the fact that the statement is not in accordance with the information already supplied from the Department of Local Government and Public Health in respect of (a) estimated population. (b) annual number of births in recent years, he will state whether he has any additional information to place before the Dáil which would substantiate the statement referred to, or throw additional necessary light on the position.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Trend of Population.
I have not seen the statement referred to. I have no additional information.
Will the Minister for Local Government and Public Health take into consideration that, on the 16th February, at Rush, the Minister for Finance made the statement indicated in the question— that during the last five years the tendency of our population to decline has been greatly arrested. In view of the fact that the figures given by the Minister for Local Government to the Dáil show that what has happened is that, during the last five years, the tendency of the population of this country to rise has been arrested and has, in fact, been turned into a downward tendency——
Nonsense.
Is the Minister for Industry and Commerce aware that there was an increase in the population, according to the Minister for Local Government, of 16,000 in 1932——
There was a decrease of 250,000 while you were in office.
Is the Minister aware that that increase was reduced to 10,000 in 1933, and that it had been stopped completely by June, 1935, and that there was a reduction of 5,000 in the following nine months and of 1,000 in three months after that?
Question No. 6.