asked the Taoiseach if he will state the total number of persons in insurable employment in the State in the years 1951 to 1958, inclusive.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Persons in Insurable Employment.
2.
As stated in my reply of 29th October, 1958 to a similar question by Deputy Rooney, it is not possible to state how many of the total insured population are actually in insurable employment at any particular date. Particulars of the numbers of persons in insurable employment are, however, available in the form of estimates based on insurance stamps sold, or issued to employer depositors. Thus the average number of stamps sold per week in a year provides an estimate of the average number of persons in insurable employment throughout that year.
For the years ended 31st March from 1954 to 1958 the estimates of the average number of persons in insurable employment each week were as follows:—
Year ended 31st March
|
1954 |
489,900 |
|
1955 |
499,900 |
|
1956 |
501,400 |
|
1957 |
485,900 |
|
1958 |
464,700 |
These estimates relate to financial years in order to eliminate any possible effect of the lack of coincidence between the period of employment and the purchase of the insurance stamps.
Owing to the changes introduced by the Social Welfare Act 1952 it is not possible to produce comparable figures for earlier years. It has, however, been estimated that for the calendar year 1951 the estimated average weekly number of persons at work insured under the National Health Insurance Acts was 498,900 and under the Unemployment Insurance Acts was 369,700. The legislative changes also made it impossible to produce such estimates for the year 1952.