asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will state (a) the number of registered employment agencies operating in each of the cities: (b) whether he has satisfied himself that they serve any useful purpose; (c) whether he has any information regarding the fees charged by these agencies; (d) whether any positions coming within the jurisdiction of the State are filled through these agencies and (e) the grades of workers catered for by these agencies.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Registered Employment Agencies.
The Corporation of Dublin and the Corporation of Cork are the only local authorities which, to my knowledge, have availed of the adoptive provision of Section 85 of the Public Health Acts Amendment Act, 1907. This provision empowers local authorities adopting it to regulate employment agencies catering for female domestic servants and is the only statutory provision enabling thecompulsory registration of these agencies. Accordingly, the answer to (a) of the Deputy's question is that the only registered employment agencies operating in this country are in Dublin and Cork, where, I am informed, the numbers registered are 15 and 4 respectively.
With regard to the grades of workers catered for, and the fees charged by these agencies, I am informed that they deal for the most part with domestic and hotel workers and to a lesser degree with nurses and teachers. I understand that in Dublin there is no registration fee for applicants who, however, are charged, when placed in employment, a fee of 10/- where the wage offered is under 30/- a week and a fee of 20/- where the wage offered exceeds 30/- a week; whilst in Cork the registration fee is 2/6 with an additional 7/6 for women and 10/- for men, upon placing.
Is there any supervision of these agencies other than what the Minister has indicated?
No. The corporation affected may impose conditions in the issue of licences if they wish.
If the labour exchanges would function more energetically as employment exchanges instead of unemployment exchanges, would it not make the necessity for these employment agencies virtually non-existent?
That is a separate question.
Is the Minister aware that sometimes vacancies which do not exist are advertised in the papers for the sole purpose of securing fees from the unemployed?