asked the Minister for Labour the number of jobs that have been approved under the employment premium scheme for each month since its inception.

I take it that the Deputy is referring in his question to the employment incentive scheme. The Supplementary Estimate for the employment incentive scheme was passed by Dáil Éireann on 25th May, 1977, and the processing of applications was put in train after that date. The first payments under the scheme were made in June, 1977.

To date a total of 1,036 additional jobs have been the subject of premiums paid under the scheme. The monthly breakdown is at follows:

In addition, applications in respect of the recruitment of a further 1,865 workers are being processed at present.

Could the Minister tell us how many of those 1,036 jobs were for young unemployed?

The total is 2,545, and of that 1,858 refer to adults and 687 to school leavers.