asked the Taoiseach if he will state the estimated total number of persons who emigrated during the year 1957-58.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Emigration Statistics.
1.
No reliable estimate is available for the total number of persons who emigrated during the year 1957-58. I have on several occasions explained in reply to questions by Deputies that it is not possible to prepare reliable estimates of total annual emigration in advance of inter-censal data and I have stated the reasons why this is so. I would refer the Deputy to my reply to Deputies Russell and J. Murphy on 12th February, 1958, in which I drew attention to a series of previous replies on this subject.
The number of Irish nationals who emigrated by sea to countries outside Europe and who travelled through ports in the State was 3,472 in 1957 and 2,005 in 1958. The corresponding number of Irish emigrants who travelled through ports in Britain and the six Counties during 1957 was 2,116. These data are not yet available for 1958.
Particulars of the numbers of emigrants who travel by air are not compiled. In this connection, however, information can be given of the numbers of passports issued to persons going to employment or permanent residence abroad classified by intended mode of travel. I propose, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, to circulate in the Official Report a statement giving these data for the years 1957 and 1958.
Following is the statement:—
PERSONS going to employment or permanent residence to whom passports were issued in 1957 and 1958, classified by intended mode of travel.
|
Mode of Travel |
Including wives on husbands' passports, but excluding children on parents' passports |
Including wives on husbands' passports and children on parents' passports |
||
|
1957 |
1958 |
1957 |
1958 |
|
|
Air |
6,316 |
2,346 |
7,446 |
2,742 |
|
Sea |
4,653 |
4,213 |
5,509 |
4,836 |
|
Not stated |
536 |
321 |
615 |
358 |
|
TOTAL |
11,505 |
6,880 |
13,570 |
7,936 |
May I ask the Taoiseach does he propose in future to advert to the figures given by the Minister for Labour in the British House of Commons setting out the number of new applicants for social security documents in Great Britain who have been born in Ireland and, if so, does he advert to the fact that the most recent figure speaks of their numbers amounting to approximately 50,000 in the year under review?
The figures given up to the present—I do not know to what extent they include new entrants as well as re-entrants—are not a reliable guide in that they took no account of those who came back to this country and we know that a large number come back. They go and come, go and come. The British figures have not taken account of that.
Has the Taoiseach under consideration any method by which we could measure emigration figures accurately?
I have asked the Statistics Office several times about that and they have considered various ways, but none of them has been completely satisfactory. Short of an actual census, I do not know that there is any way in which it can be done with real accuracy.
May I ask the Taoiseach on what figures he has based his remark here that large numbers have come back? Does he mean come back to stay or come back on holidays?
No. There is a constant flow, as much, I think, as nearly 50 per cent. in some cases.
Is the Taoiseach aware that when an emigrant returns to this country and then goes back to Britain, he retains the same social security card as he originally had there and would not be a new entrant such as described here to-day?
I started my explanation by saying that I was not quite sure to what extent that has been taken into account.
Is the Taoiseach also aware that the people who he suggests come and go are described by Bord Fáilte as tourists?
That is not so, of course.
It is so.
Some would be like that, but it is quite obvious that there are people, and even generations of people, who have been going and coming like that for seasons.