asked the Taoiseach the number of unemployed in each health board region; and if he will state this as a percentage of the total workforce in each instance.

I propose to circulate a statement showing the number of persons on the live register on 30 April 1982 allocated to the health board regions on the basis of the location of local employment office of registration.

It is not possible, however, to provide the percentage figures requested by the Deputy since corresponding estimates of the total workforce are not available for the health board regions.

Following is the statement:

Numbers on the Live Register in Local Employment Offices located in each Health Board Region

What are the percentages available for?

They are for branch regions.

Are they the same as the health board regions?

They are not.

What is the purpose of the branch regions?

I am not sure exactly what the boundaries are. The Central Statistics Office operate on planning regions that are quite different. I can give the Deputy the information on the planning regions later on.

I will be glad to have that.