asked the Minister for Economic Planning and Development the numbers of unemployed on the live register on 1 July 1977 and on 30 December 1977; and the measures he is taking to redress the overall unemployment situation.

The actual numbers on the live register on 1 July 1977 and 30 December 1977 were 109,338 and 111,763 respectively.

When seasonally adjusted, the underlying trend in unemployment, as reflected in these live register figures, showed a decline in the range 4,500 to 6,300. Economic indicators suggest that total new jobs created in 1977 could have been in the region of 20,000. This estimate is tentative. When offset by the decline in agricultural numbers and by redundancies in the non-agricultural sector, the net employment outturn likely to emerge should support the trend indicated by the deseasonalised data.

The Government's strategy for tackling the overall unemployment problem has been set out in its pre-election manifesto and in the recent White Paper National Development 1977-1980.

It is accepted that, in addition to the measures being currently considered or in the course of implementation, new policies will have to be formulated if we are to overcome the existing and potential unemployment problem in the years ahead. My Department, in consultation with other Departments, are at present formulating a statement of these policy aims and possible lines of action. During the first half of 1978 the results will be published in the form of a Green Paper so as to provide a basis for discussion with the social partners and to promote the maximum understanding and support for the policy measures to be taken. Subsequent to these discussions and by the autumn of 1978, a comprehensive planning paper will be published.

Can the Minister say how he can reconcile the figures he has given for July and December 1977 with the pre-election promise to reduce unemployment by 5,000 in 1977?

We did. I have pointed out that on the best estimates on additional numbers at work the figure is 5,180. That is a reduction in the numbers out of work but not in the numbers on the live register. We are now getting back to the debate we had earlier when I said my understanding is that the Opposition, because the relevant paper was prepared by an adviser to the former Minister for Foreign Affairs setting out the relationship between movements in the numbers in the live register and total numbers out of work——

The Minister may be ignorant of this because he was not here during the term of the previous Government, but can he tell me why during the term of the Coalition Government Fianna Fáil always used the live register as the guideline, the yardstick, the barometer in regard to unemployment? Why is the Minister not now applying the same criterion?

I have never suggested that we are not using the movement in the live register as a barometer or a guideline. What I am objecting to is the attempt to say that there is a precise numerical relationship between movements in the live register and movements in the numbers out of work. The reason why so many people use the live register is because it is issued weekly.

It is vital for the House to know whether it is the Minister's settled opinion that he will continue to assess the level of unemployment on the figures in the live register. The register has served that purpose up to now and if it is not to do so in the future can the Minister tell the House of the other method of assessment he proposes to use in relation to unemployment? Otherwise the House will continue in the unsatisfactory situation of having the Minister denying that there is any relevance in the live register——

I did not deny there is any relevance. I said I accept that the live register can be used as an indicator or a guide to movements in the numbers out of work. The specific denial I have made is of the suggestion that there is a precise relationship. My understanding is that the previous Government had become aware that the live register was an inadequate indicator of the total numbers out of work. If any former member of that Government likes to deny that, I should like to get it on the record of the House. Of course the live register is frequently quoted because it is available on a weekly basis. The only way in which we can get reasonably accurate indicators of the total numbers out of work on an occasional basis is from the special labour force surveys conducted on behalf of the EEC, taken every two years —one was taken last year and another will be taken next year. The only ultimate accurate crosscheck we have is between that survey and a census of the population, and let us not go into that for the moment.

May I point out to the Minister——

The Deputy will ask a question.

May I ask the Minister if he regards the provision of extra jobs as having the same effect as a reduction in unemployment? In page six of the Fianna Fáil manifesto it is stated that there would be a reduction in unemployment of 5,000 in 1977.

That is correct.

It is not the same thing to create 5,000 new jobs as to reduce unemployment by 5,000.

I have already answered that.