asked the Taoiseach the total number employed in (a) industrial occupations and (b) agriculture at 30th September, 1956 and 31st March, 1971.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Employment Figures.
3.
The total employment estimates relate to mid-April of each year. The total number of persons engaged in industrial employment in April, 1956, was 269,000 while it is provisionally estimated that in April, 1971, there were 328,000 persons engaged in this sector. The total number at work in April, 1956 in agriculture—including forestry and fishing—was 430,000 while in April, 1970, the latest date for which this estimate is available, the corresponding figure was 291,000.
Could the Parliamentary Secretary give us any reason for this colossal drop in the number of people at work? How can he reconcile that with the promises made——
That is a separate question. This is a statistical question. Question No. 4.
There are over 100,000 fewer people at work today than there were 16 years ago. The Parliamentary Secretary has no answer.
I have an answer. I will just remind the Deputy once more that on 2nd February, 1957, during the period of the second inter-Party Government, 95,267 people were out of work. Add to that the despair and hopelessness which pervaded the country at that point in time.
What about the 100,000 new jobs? What about "Wives get your husbands back to work"? They got them to work in Liverpool, Birmingham and other cities in England. When you are comparing figures you should compare like with like.
Will the Deputy allow the Minister for Health to answer his questions?