asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if, in view of the fact that in order to reach full employment in this country in the 1980's about 7,000 new jobs will be required each year, he can say what progress has been made towards that target; and what proposals he has to provide the number of new positions each year.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Creation of New Jobs.
256.
The NIEC Report on Full Employment estimated that to achieve full employment by 1980, an average of some 11,000 new jobs per year would have to be found within the industrial sector.
Progress made in the six months ended 30th June, 1969, was as follows:—
(a) 41 projects commenced production with an estimated employment potential of 1,935 at the end of the first year and 4,138 at full production;
(b) 53 projects were under construction with an estimated employment potential of 2,944 at the end of the first year and 6,051 at full production;
(c) In the same period there were 78 projects for which grants were approved but in which construction had not commenced. These projects have an employment potential of 4,589 at the end of the first year and 7,667 at full production;
(d) The total number of projects in this period, that is, the first six months of this year, therefore, was 172 with an employment potential of 9,468 at the end of the first year and 17,856 at full production.
In the same six months period 119 small industry projects, with an additional employment potential of 700 persons, were approved for grants under the Small Industries Programme.