asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether he will take steps to clarify and publicise the conditions under which persons desiring to go to Great Britain will be permitted by his Department through the local labour exchange to do so, and specifically the conditions under which they will not be permitted so to go.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Emigration to Great Britain.
Statements in regard to restrictions on the emigration of persons to take up employment outside this country were widely publicised in the Press and announced by radio when the restrictions were imposed. Any person who, of his own initiative, notifies a local office of my Department of his desire to go to employment outside this country is, if he is not affected by the restrictions on emigration, granted the necessary facilities to enable him to apply for such work and, if successful in obtaining the work, to apply for a travel permit.
Is the Minister aware that a situation has now arisen in rural Ireland whereunder, if one country boy goes to the labour exchange and, when asked if he has ever done any agricultural work, admits that he helped his father about the place, he will be prevented from going, whereas his neighbour's son, who is a little cuter and who says that he is an industrial worker of some kind, and has never helped, and will not help, his father, is permitted to go? Does the Minister think that a satisfactory arrangement? Could not some more reasonable system be devised for determining what persons will be permitted to go, and what persons will be prevented from going?
That is not the system in operation.
Will the Minister say what facilities will be afforded a person who goes to the labour exchange to enable him to get the employment he wants?
Deputies are, I presume, expected to keep in touch with public announcements and statutory Orders made from time to time, and not to use the machinery of Question Time for the purpose of getting information which is available in the Library.
Is the Minister aware that if a man goes to a labour exchange for information of that sort, he will be told there is no use going there unless he has already got the job in Great Britain.
That is a most stupid observation.
It is the truth, and every Deputy can verify it.
Mr. Byrne
What facilities are granted to girls who lose their employment in this country because of scarcity of materials and who have jobs to go to in England? Will the Minister say how they can get there?
Certainly. Any person who is entitled to the facilities which are available and who goes to the labour exchange will be facilitated.
Mr. Byrne
But if the regulations are against them and if, at the age of 21 or 22, they are still unemployed, but have a job to go to, is the Minister going to keep them here unemployed?
That is a different matter. The emigration of persons under 22 years of age, except under special circumstances, is prohibited.
Mr. Byrne
What are the special circumstances?
Is the Minister aware that unless a person has already obtained a job from his prospective employer in England, there is no use in his going to the labour exchange?
That is utter nonsense.
It is the truth.
It is absolutely true.
It is complete and utter balderdash. The function of the labour exchange is to transmit, in respect of persons who are not subject to any ban, to the British Ministry of Labour and National Service information as to the qualifications and other particulars of the persons applying for work. That is the normal procedure. In fact, a travel permit is not given to anybody who does not follow that procedure, nor will the British Ministry of Labour and National Service give the British risa to anybody not recruited through that system.
If that is the prescribed procedure, it is not being carried out.