The Future of Jobs in Ireland. ESRI Memorandum Series No. 120 1977

After a long lifetime study of the endemic problem unemployment and underemployment in Ireland in their statistical aspects I have come firmly to a very simple conclusion which is that the problem must be tackled directly. While economic development, i.e. the production of marketable goods and services, must remain the principal strategy, it will not suffice for absorbing all job seekers: the capital cost would be too great. Recourse must be had to job creation, mainly in the Construction industry with the deliberate purpose of reducing the number seeking work. Of course, there is nothing new in this. The only novelty would be change of emphasis. Nor must we strain for perfection: a substantial and permanent reduction in the number of genuine work seekers will suffice. We have had quite enough of idealism in this country. So the tone of the paper will not be admonitory of once. The philosophy will be that of old in the public service: "the best is the enemy of the good." We have done well enough in the recent past to justify optimism for the future: "All that we want is courage, resolution and the involvement of everyone," to quote the last sentence in the latest work on unemployment with which I have been associated. The work proper opens as follows