Whilst the short-term aspects of the fuel crisis here may soon improve, solutions of the long-term problems will inevitably take a considerable time. They are clearly of a gravely serious character and have direct and immediate consequences for a large number of our people who came to Britain for employment during the years 1940 to 1946.

According to the returns of the Industry and Commerce Statistics Division, the total number of persons who received Travel Permits for employment from 1940 to September last was 219,728.

In the absence of any statistics to show how many of these workers are still here, some idea of the number may be gleaned from the following considerations.

The British money and postal orders cashed at home in Ireland is deemed to be for the most part remittances from workers here. The total amount of these orders for each year since 1940 is given below:

These figures suggest that there cannot have been any large scale reduction in the numbers of Irish workers in recent years. This view, I understand, is confirmed by the preliminary results of our Census of Population taken in May last compared with the returns of the Register of Population in 1943.

It would, therefore, seem reasonable to estimate that the number of our people employed in this country will not be much, if any, below 160,000 or 170,000.

Even the mere prospect of hardship and discomfort, and in such appalling weather as at present, for so many thousands of our people, naturally causes grave concern and I, therefore, made inquiries at the Ministry of Labour about the position of our workers. Whilst the Ministry was not as yet able to give much definite information, they were of opinion that a considerable percentage of our people went into mining and agriculture - in which industries there will, even in the period of restrictions, be less unemployment than in other occupations. Where our people become workless in the trades which are closed down, they will receive unemployment benefit whilst in Britain. In addition, married men who were entitled to the lodging allowance will continue to receive it. Further, in a large number of cases - about which the Ministry could not be definite - free travelling facilities are available to enable our people to return home.

It is, doubtless, too early as yet to envisage the extent to which our people may be affected, but I am keeping, as far as possible, a watch on the situation and will report later.