asked the Taoiseach the number of people under 25 years of age at present registered as unemployed; and the percentage this represents of the total work force.

The number of persons on the live register on 27 March 1981 who were under 25 years of age was 33,265.

Data on the percentage unemployed based on the live register is obtained by taking the ratio of the number of insured persons on the live register to the total insured labour force, excluding the agriculture, fishing and domestic service sectors. The information necessary to calculate the ratio for persons under 25 years of age is not available.

Is the Minister of State satisfied that the Government's policy in relation to employment will cater for the needs of these 33,265 people under 25 years of age?

As the Deputy is aware, the Government policy is to provide more employment for our young people and indeed for all our work force.

Will that policy take account of the 60,000 who are completing their education this year?

This is a statistical question.

Is the Minister of State aware that the Minister for Labour, during a debate in the House on a Labour Party motion on youth unemployment, gave it as his opinion that the number of unemployed young people under 25 was in fact 45,000 and that the difference between the figure the Minister of State has given and the figure the Minister for Labour gave is accounted for by the fact that many young people have no financial incentive to register as unemployed and therefore fail to register? Would the Minister of State not agree that the 45,000 figure is much closer to the real total?

I am not aware of what the Minister for Labour said.

Would the Minister of State not agree with the Minister for Labour that the real total is 45,000?

I am not aware of the Minister's statement.

Will the Minister of State deny the statement?

I am not denying it. I am simply saying that I am not aware of it.

The Minister of State should be aware of it because our young people are aware of it.