asked the Taoiseach if he will make a statement on the report in a daily newspaper (details supplied) to the effect that the EEC Commission considers that the true unemployment figure in Ireland exceeds 18 per cent, or more than 180,000 persons.

The figures quoted by the Deputy are purely conjectural and do not appear to have emanated from the EEC Commission. The newspaper report in question refers to a forthcoming Commission report on the subject. It is understood from the Commission that the only relevant report to be published shortly is that containing the first results of the labour force sample survey, taken in all member states in spring, 1975. It is further understood from the Commission that the total for unemployed persons shown for Ireland in that report is 107,000, or 9.6 per cent of the total labour force.

Would the Parliamentary Secretary agree that the actual number of unemployed here is considerably in excess of the 108,000, or so, shown in the Department of Social Welfare returns and the Department of Labour returns——

No, Sir.

——as tens of thousands of unemployed school leavers, for example, are not included, although they would be included in comparable figures in other European countries?

I have been asked specifically about the figure in The Irish Press report. That figure is totally wrong. I have explained to the House in what respect it is wrong. I have explained also to the House the best efforts we have been able to make to trace what may have been intended in that report, or by the person who wrote it. I have given the House the best answer I can in that regard. I will not speculate——

The Parliamentary Secretary does not deny that the true unemployment figure is very greatly in excess of the official Government published figure?

I certainly do deny it. I have answered questions about this before. There are certain categories which are not included in our system and never were included in our system even under the previous Government.

They were not unemployed.

Most certainly they were unemployed. They are not and never were included in our system for recording unemployment figures.

Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that, before these figures were published in an Irish paper regarding this EEC survey, they were published in an English paper? Would he like to comment on that?

I am not so aware. The only material submitted by Deputy O'Malley was a cutting from The Irish Press which I have just explained was absolutely unreliable.

Further arising——

Question No. 2. I want to deal with other questions.

Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that the survey to which he referred was carried out early in 1976 and that survey bears no relation to the enormous problem at present for the huge number of school leavers who bring the figure to somewhere in the region of 180,000?

We are now entering into the field of speculation but it would be an easy matter for the Deputy to apply the proportion to 107,000 borne by the present unemployment figure as given by our statistics and the unemployment figure in May, 1975, as given by our unemployment statistics.

Is the Parliaentary Secretary further aware——

Order. I am calling the next question. I have allowed a series of questions on this subject matter.

It is a very important subject.

I am proceeding now to Question No. 2.

It is probably the most serious matter we have to deal with.