asked the Minister for Finance whether, in view of the abnormal unemployment existing, funds have been specially set aside in the special employment schemes office for the provision of work during December and the Christmas period.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Special Employment Schemes.
As the Deputy is aware, the funds made available in the Employment and Emergency Schemes Vote for the relief of unemployment are provided for the employment of unskilled labourers in receipt of unemployment assistance. Men in receipt of unemployment insurance benefit are not eligible for recruitment as unskilled labourers on employment schemes.
I am not aware of any increase in the number of men at present registering for unemployment assistance in the country as a whole, as compared with the number registered in November, 1950.
Allocations from the Vote have already been made for employment schemes to be carried out during the winter months in all areas in which the number of men on the unemployment assistance register warrants the sanction of such schemes, and many of these works are already in hands.
Does the Parliamentary Secretary seriously suggest that there is not an extraordinary amount of unemployment in the country at present?
I have only the figures which have been furnished to me. On 17/11/'51, 33,845 was the number on the unemployment assistance register and on the 18/11/'50, the number was 36,368, which shows a decrease of 2,523.
What about those who come under unemployment insurance?
They do not come within the ambit of the Unemployment Schemes Vote.
In view of the fact that there is undoubtedly a very large number of men unemployed in the country at present as compared with other years, will the Parliamentary Secretary not consider making exceptionally generous grants to the local authorities to relieve the situation between this and Christmas? I make that suggestion to the Parliamentary Secretary and I ask him to consider it for the good of the men concerned.
Relief grants have been made by some local authorities in urban areas but not from the special employment schemes office or the Board of Works.
Exceptionally large grants have been made by the special employment schemes office in the past.