(Cavan-Monaghan) asked the Taoiseach the number of persons registered as unemployed in the various social welfare offices in County Cavan to the most recent available date; and the numbers at the same date in 1978 and 1979.

With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to circulate in the Official Report a statement giving the required information for the 28 November 1980 with comparable figures for the corresponding dates in 1979 and 1978.

Following is the statement:

Number on the live register at the local office in County Cavan.

(Cavan-Monaghan): Are the figures improving?

Eventually we hope they will.

It is a wonder the Ministers are not unemployed themselves with the mess they are making of things.

Does the Minister agree that according to the Fianna Fáil manifesto the number unemployed now should be less than 80,000 instead of 115,000? What has happened in the last three years?

Go back to 1976 and the Deputy will find that that was a bad year.

The Minister should not give me that type of an answer. He should reply to my question. I can go back to a time when the number unemployed was 200,000 under Fianna Fáil and many of our people were emigrating to Birmingham, Liverpool and London. They are emigrating again.

There is a world recession at present but there was not a recession in 1976.

Emigration is on the increase and the Government know it.

It is time Fianna Fáil cleared out of office.

Would the Minister and Deputy L'Estrange please resume their seats?

Fianna Fáil are in Government and it is up to them to deal with the situation.

(Cavan-Monaghan): Follow Deputy Lynch's promise and get out when the figure exceeds 100,000.

The National Coalition were in office in 1976 and they did not get out.