asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will give the Dáil his best estimate of the reduction in registered unemployment attributable to intensified scrutinising and disallowance of claims since 1 January 1978.

Data as to why people leave the live register is not available. People do so for a variety of reasons and it would be impossible to identify any one particular reason as being related to any significant number of persons who have left the register.

Can the Minister say whether the inspectors of his Department have given him any report of the number of people who have been removed from the live register through their actions?

No. Reports of that sort are not made. The situation in regard to fraudulent claims for unemployment benefit, or assistance, or anything else—and I assume that is what the Deputy is talking about—is a constant continuing process in the Department. Investigations go on and, if people are found to be improperly drawing benefit or assistance, they are taken off the register or, if the case is serious enough, they are prosecuted.

The Minister will recall that he told the House some time ago he was especially appointing a number of additional officers who would be assigned the specific task of investigating fraudulent claims.

A special investigation unit is now in operation.

Could the Minister give the House any indication of the number of cases which have been removed from the live register due to the activities of that unit?

No. It would be impossible to make any worthwhile estimate or calculation because, as the Deputy probably knows and most Deputies know, the very fact that this unit comes to investigate a particular area or locality automatically means that a number of people for some reason or other just disappear off the register.

Could the Minister give the House any indication of the number of claims investigated?

The Deputy asked that three times.

I asked the number of people who had been removed.

The Deputy asked whether I could give a figure and I have told him I cannot. It is not possible to estimate why people go off the register. As the Deputy knows, they go off it for a variety of reasons, some of which may or may not be connected with our anti-fraudulent activities.

I will table a separate question.

I will get the Deputy whatever information I can.