asked the Taoiseach the number on the live register at a date in mid-June 1981 and 1936.

I would like to draw attention to the fact that there is a printer's error in the question. It should read "mid-June 1980".

The number of persons on the live register on 27 June 1980 was 96,502.

The figures for the number of persons on the live register in 1936 are not comparable with the current figures because of the changes made in the social welfare regulations and other changes in the coverage of the live register over the period involved, in particular the operation of employment period orders between March and November in 1936. In 1936 the total number of persons on the live register varied between 144,764 on 27 January and 67,045 in 31 August. The figure on 29 June was 70,274.