asked the Taoiseach the latest unemployment figures.

The number of persons on the live register on 27 February 1981 was 126, 256.

That is a judgment on this Government. Would the Minister of State agree that, had the figures been compiled in a similar manner to the method of compilation of three years ago, the figure would now be 136,000 at least?

I have no evidence that that is so.

The Minister of State provided the evidence himself six months ago when he gave figures which showed the difference between two sets of compilations. At that stage the difference was 9,000. Is it not reasonable to assume that it is now 10,000?

There was a much greater number of short-time workers in 1975.

Let the Government go to the country on that issue and see where it will get them.

Would the Minister further agree that if it was compiled on the same basis as Fianna Fáil compiled the figures before the last general election the figures would now be 200,000?

I do not see any cause for humour in this. The job we have to do in this House is to try to reduce that figure.

The figures do not permit any humour but the Minister and the Government handling them do. They are completely indifferent to the plight of these people.

Is the Minister aware that the Government's lack of financial policy and the high inflation rate are resulting in 5,100 people losing their jobs each week for the past four to five months? What do the Government intend to do about this?

This is a statistical question. Deputy Cluskey may ask a final supplementary on this.

In view of the appalling figures which the Minister has just indicated, would he indicate what policy the Government intend to pursue to create jobs and reduce that figure?

It is the Government's policy to reduce jobs by trying to create employment.

The Government have certainly reduced them. That is the problem.

A Freudian slip.

The taxpayers should be thankful that Fine Gael are not in power or the Bill would be doubled.

Are we to take that as the official Government approach towards trying to reduce unemployment.