Vol. 395 No. 6
7 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Taoiseach when the official emigration figures for 1989 will be available from the Central Statistics Office; if any preliminary figures or estimates are available; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The net migration estimate for the 12 month period to mid-April 1990 will, in accordance with normal practice, become available during August next. Estimates are not available for periods other than the 12 months to mid-April.
If the estimates are not available, on what do the Government base their projections for unemployment benefit in the coming year?
I will refer to two reports published recently. The Economic and Social Research Institute in their Quarterly Economic Commentary of December 1989, published two weeks ago, forecast a fall of about 10,000 in unemployment in 1990 which coupled with a significant reduction in emigration, would mean a fall of about 25,000. A further progress report by the Central Review Committee under the Programme for National Recovery shows that over 60,000 gross jobs were created in 1988 and 1989. Notified redundancies for 1989 total 13,400, their lowest level since 1979 and over 40 per cent lower than in 1988. Registered unemployment fell by an average of 8,000 over the two years 1988 and 1989. More definitive information for the period from April 1989 to April 1990 will not be available until mid-August and it would be pointless to give any estimate at present in view of the fact that all the reports are not available.
If the Government do not know the figures in relation to emigration during the last year, on what basis do they base their projections for the coming year?
That is a different question and if the Deputy tables another question in this regard I will be very glad to deal with it.
The question is essentially statistical. We now come to questions nominated for priority. These five questions must be disposed of within the prescribed time laid down by Standing Orders and I seek the co-operation of Deputies towards that end.
