asked the Minister for Social Welfare the number of persons paying PRSI in the financial years 1979-80, 1980-81 and 1981-82.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - PRSI Contributors.
10.
(Mayo West): The data on PRSI contributions for the contribution years 1979-80 and 1980-81 as supplied to my Department from the computer records of the office of the Revenue Commissioners comprise the records of all the individual employments in those years. Experience has shown however that large numbers of insured persons would have been in two or more employments and in many instances would have paid contributions under more than one RSI number. On the basis of the available records it is estimated that the total number of insured persons in each of those years was in the region of 1.1 million. This figure includes insured persons who were sick or unemployed for all or part of those years and also persons employed on seasonal work, students doing holiday work and so on.
The returns for the contribution year 1981-82 are only now being forwarded by employers to the Revenue Commissioners and, accordingly, the analysis for that year has not yet commenced.