asked the Taoiseach the average number of employees in the private sector of the building and construction industry in (a) 1974 (b) 1975 and (c) 1976.

The information requested by the Deputy is available in the form of a monthly index number series derived from returns from a sample of building firms. This index takes the year 1975 as base. The averages of the 12 monthly figures for each year were as follows: 1974, 110.2; 1975, 100.0; 1976, 90.8.

Could the Parliamentary Secretary give an indication of the average number employed?

No. In regard to the Deputy's question, which relates specifically to the private sector, I am told that the information is collected by a sample of firms and the sample corresponds to a base number, so that an increase or a decrease in employment can be calculated in that way. All I can do is tell the Deputy about the total number of persons engaged in the entire building and construction sector. I have got those figures, at least on the labour force survey, but they do not differentiate between the private and public sectors.

I shall ask another question on that.