asked the Taoiseach if his attention has been drawn to the figures on immigration from the Republic of Ireland in the years 1960 to 1964, announced in the House of Commons, London on 6th April 1965 by the Minister for National Insurance, which indicate that the number of persons from the Republic who registered or re-registered for national insurance in Great Britain in 1964 was 56,000 compared with 48,000 in 1963; and if he will prepare a table of figures for the period 1960-1964 setting out side by side the estimates of his Department and the figures published by the British Ministry of National Insurance.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Irish Immigrants in Britain.
2.
My attention has been drawn to the report of the announcement referred to by the Deputy.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to circulate in the Official Report a statement setting out, for the years 1960 to 1964, the figures announced by the British Minister of Pensions and National Insurance, particulars of new Social Insurance cards issued in this country and the net outward passenger balances by sea and air to Britain and all destinations.
The comment which I made in answer to a question of a similar nature addressed to me in this House on the 4th May, 1961, is also applicable to the statistics referred to in the Question now under reply. As I pointed out on that occasion these figures cannot be accepted as a measure of Irish emigration, nor can they be reconciled with the known facts regarding the numbers leaving school in this country each year and the number of new insurance cards issued here.
Following is the statement:—
|
Entrants from 26-Counties into British National Insurance. |
Social Insurance cards issued for the first time in this country. |
Net outward passenger balances by sea and air for the year which began on 1st March. |
||||||||
|
Year |
New registrations |
Re-registrations |
Total |
Men |
Boys |
Women |
Girls |
Total |
ToBritain All destinations. |
|
|
1960 |
51,000 |
16,000 |
67,000 |
13,616 |
15,634 |
10,983 |
15,874 |
56,107 |
37,811 |
43,786 |
|
1961 |
53,000 |
15,000 |
68,000 |
14,586 |
16,451 |
12,561 |
17,122 |
60,720 |
15,604 |
22,267 |
|
1962 |
38,000 |
14,000 |
52,000 |
14,312 |
17,133 |
10,897 |
17,727 |
60,069 |
6,763 |
12,226 |
|
1963 |
33,000 |
15,000 |
48,000 |
14,253 |
17,550 |
10,588 |
18,029 |
60,420 |
16,034 |
25,044 |
|
1964 |
39,000 |
17,000 |
56,000 |
14,821 |
17,694 |
12,134 |
19,327 |
63,976 |
19,752 |
27,394 |
|
The figures for issues of Social Insurance cards relate to years ended on the day preceding the first Monday in July (females) and in the following January (males). |
Would the Taoiseach like to ascertain where all those extra Irish people are coming from?
The obvious explanation is that there must be a great deal of duplication in the figures.
Would the Taoiseach explain how the figures tallied almost exactly some years ago and why there now appears to be such a discrepancy?
I do not know what the Deputy's point is. Even the British figures show a substantial diminution over recent years.
Yes, but some years ago the British figures and the figures produced here were almost exactly the same.
I do not think that was ever so.
If the Taoiseach checks, he will find they were pretty close.