asked the Taoiseach the number of persons unemployed on 1st June, 1974, as compared with 1st June, 1973; and if there has been a reduction in employment in the building trade and a reduction of overtime working between the two dates.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Building Trade Employment.
2.
The total number of persons on the live register on 31st May, 1974 was 67,053; the corresponding figure for 1st June, 1973 was 64,709.
The index of employment covering activity in the private, that is, the non-State sector of the building industry, base April 1971=100, is provisionally estimated at 95.2 in June, 1974 compared with 93.0 in June, 1973.
In mid-March 1974—the latest period for which the information is available—average hours worked by skilled operatives in the building industry were estimated at 46.1, as compared with 47.7 hours a year earlier. The corresponding figures for unskilled and semi-skilled operatives were 45.5 hours in mid-March 1974 and 46.9 hours in mid-March 1973. Separate figures for overtime working are not available.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that hundreds of workers in the building trade were laid off throughout the country at the weekend?
The Parliamentary Secretary is not responsible for policy matters.
If the Parliamentary Secretary is not accepting responsibility in this matter, surely the Government must show some concern with the situation in the housing industry?
The Parliamentary Secretary is responsible only for the issuing of statistics in relation to this question. The policy is a matter for another Department.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary bring this serious situation to the notice of the Minister for Local Government?
The Deputy would have to put down a separate question in order to get the answer to that.
The Minister for Local Government does not need me to bring matters to his attention.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary accept that there is no action being taken by the Government to deal with the situation in the building industry?
Question No. 3.
The Government are not facing up to the situation.