asked the Taoiseach the number of persons in receipt of unemployment benefit and unemployment assistance in Dún Laoghaire, County Dublin, on 31st March in 1974, 1975, 1976 and 1977.

With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to circulate in the Official Report a statement giving the required information for the nearest available dates.

Following is the statement:

Number of Claimants to Unemployment Benefit and number of Applicants for Unemployment Assistance at the Dún Laoghaire Employment Exchange on the last Friday in March, 1974, 1975, 1976 and 1977.

Can the Parliamentary Secretary give any hope to the unemployed people in Dún Laoghaire in relation to the dreadful figures he has before him?

That is a matter of policy. It is not for the Parliamentary Secretary.

Can he say whether there are any plans for industrial expansion in the area?

These are questions for another Minister.

There has been a substantial improvement in Dún Laoghaire in the past year, the Deputy will be very glad to hear.

Can the Parliamentary Secretary give the figures for last year?

I can. The figures in 1976 were 1,650 claimants for unemployment benefit and 837 applicants for unemployment assistance. A year later the figure for unemployment benefit had fallen to 1,497 and for unemployment assistance it had fallen to 795.

Does the Parliamentary Secretary really consider those figures are satisfactory?

No limit of unemployment is satisfactory.

Can the Parliamentary Secretary give the figures for 1974?

We are shadow-boxing.

The Parliamentary Secretary has no concern for the unemployed.

They took the mail boat from Dún Laoghaire in 1972.

They are still taking the mail boat.

Order. Question No. 5.