asked the Taoiseach the total number of unemployed on the Live Register on 1st October (a) 1966, (b) 1967 and (c) 1968; and the reasons for any increase.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Unemployment Statistics.
7.
The number of persons on the Live Register for the dates nearest 1st October, were: 30th September, 1966, 36,282; 29th September, 1967, 47,285 and the 27th September, 1968, 50,933. As the Employment Period Orders were in operation on the 30th September, 1966, the figure for that year is not comparable with those for 1967 and 1968, when Employment Period Orders were not in operation. The industrial analyses of the Live Register for mid-September, 1967, and mid-September, 1968, set out the changes compared with the corresponding dates in 1966 and 1967 and the reasons therefor in so far as they can be determined.
Is it not true that there are 5,000 more unemployed today than there were two years ago and that the trend is towards more unemployment?
There are more people in the country. Did that ever occur to the Deputy?
There were more who said " No "—600,000 of them.
Never mind about that. The Deputy's assertion is that fewer people are keeping more people.
Is it not true that there are 5,000 more people unemployed now than two years ago and that there are many boys and girls willing and able to work but the Fianna Fáil Government will not provide it for them?
There are at present 1,244 smallholders on extended unemployment benefit payments who have been included by the extension of unemployment from 156 to 312 days. In previous years when that order was in operation these people were not classed as unemployed. They are now classed as unemployed.