asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will state in respect of the years 1957, 1958 and 1959 the number of claims for unemployment benefit (a) made and (b) allowed.

51.

asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will state in respect of the years 1957, 1958 and 1959 the number of claims for unemployment assistance (a) made and (b) allowed.

With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 47 and 51 together.

Statistics from which the information requested could be obtained are not compiled by my Department.

Would the Parliamentary Secretary not agree that such information should be compiled?

No.

Surely there is a record in every exchange as to the number of people who apply?

The Deputy is informed every week about that.

The Parliamentary Secretary says he has not got the information.

I think that the supplementaries to the previous question have had some bearing on the Deputy's questions.

Surely the Parliamentary Secretary can say how many people in any one year applied for unemployment benefit? That is a reasonable question.

It is too reasonable for the Parliamentary Secretary.

He is ashamed of the figures.