asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether he will state the number of persons registered as unemployed at Employment Exchanges in Saorstát Eireann on January 1st and July 1st, 1928, or the nearest dates thereto for which returns are available.

The number of persons registered as unemployed at all the local offices of the Department (Employment Exchanges and Branch Employment Offices) in Saorstát Eireann was:—27,510 in the week ended 2nd January, 1928, and 20,952 in the week ended the 2nd July, 1928.

Can the Parliamentary Secretary give any idea of the number of unemployed persons who are not registered?

The Deputy did not ask for that. I have given the number of those registered. The Deputy asked for that in his question, and that is the only information available.