asked the Minister for Economic Planning and Development the approximate number of net new jobs created since 1 January, 1978, in (a) State or semi-State employment; (b) manufacturing industry; and (c) other industries.
Written Answers. - Job Creation.
375.
(a) The approximate number of net new jobs created between 1 January 1978 and 1 October 1978 in State and semi-State employment was 10,700. (b) The most recent statistics available for employment in manufacturing industry relate to mid-June 1978. These show an increase of approximately 1,600 on the mid-December 1977 figure. This represents an increase, after allowing for normal seasonal factors, of 3,700 approximately. (c) In the mining, quarrying and turf industries, there was an increase in employment of approximately 1,500 in the period December 1977 to June 1978. Seasonally adjusted data are not available for this period, but the employment trend in the sector is indicated by the fact that the increase for the period June 1977 to June 1978 was of the order of 100. The only information available in relation to the private sector of the building and construction industry is the monthly index of employees in firms employing five or more persons. The most recent index relates to September 1978, which, provisionally, at 99.2, is about 7½ per cent higher than the December 1977 level.