asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce (a) the number of new industries created (b) the number of additional employments created in new industries or expansion of existing industries and (c) the number of jobs lost in industry, in 1973, 1974 and 1975 in County Monaghan.

I have been informed by the Industrial Development Authority that the numbers of new industries which were set up in County Monaghan in the three years in question were as follows: 1973, 2; 1974, 3; 1975, 5.

According to information available to the IDA from the Authority's annual employment surveys, the additional employment created in new industries and through expansions of existing industries in County Monaghan in those years was as follows: 1973, 304 jobs; 1974, 329 jobs; 1975, 450 jobs.

The Authority's annual employment surveys also indicate that the number of jobs lost in manufacturing industry in County Monaghan in the same years was as follows: 1973, 224; 1974, 468; 1975, 627.

Is it the position that the job losses are considerably in excess of the new jobs that were created in Monaghan in those three years?

Yes.

The Parliamentary Secretary read the figures for job losses backwards for some reason.

I did not.

The Parliamentary Secretary began at 1975 and worked back.

In 1975 there were 450 jobs created against a loss of 627, so there is an excess of job losses over job creations.