Will the Minister tell the House when, if ever, he will have simplified the system to the point where claimants for benefits will be able to claim their benefit on the basis of one number and not have to give up to three numbers to the Department?

There is a complicated answer to that question.

It is a very simple one, resign.

It is not so simple. It depends on people who worked up to 1979 and did not work after that year. Obviously, the only number they have is their old insurance number. People who entered after April 1979 only have an RSI number. People who are in both situations have both numbers. We are giving benefit on 1978-1979 as well as on 1979-80. I am giving the benefit of the doubt to the persons and both numbers apply. There is now a cross-index which is 85 per cent efficient in that area.

One would have a better chance with roulette of getting money than from the Department.

Is it not true that the Minister's predecessor was warned of this difficulty having had experience of it elsewhere? Is it not true that the Revenue Commissioners warned of this difficulty, but it was ignored? Now the people are suffering because of this terrible mix-up which the Minister has failed to rectify in relation to those two numbers.

I gave this information recently to the House. The average figure of people paid is 70,000 and we have been paying 71,000, 72,000 and 73,000 people weekly a disability benefit. In addition, we are paying approximately £3 million per week——

There was never any problem until the Taoiseach and the Minister took over that Department.

The Deputy should either face the facts or not; he should not try to twist them.

The Minister should face facts.

The remaining questions will appear on tomorrow's Order Paper.