asked the Minister for Labour in relation to the Youth Employment Agency, the total allocation of funds at the beginning of 1983; the amount spent to date; and the projects on which it was spent.

A sum of £15 million was allocated to the Youth Employment Agency for expenditure in 1983 on training and employment of young persons. Of this £15 million, the agency have committed approximately £8.7 million for expenditure on approved projects and their own administration costs in 1983. At 30 September 1983 £2.24 million of this sum had been paid to project sponsors and £488,000 has been expended by the agency on overhead and administration costs. The main schemes and projects are described in the first report and accounts laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas on 5 October 1983.

To get the record straight, the Minister referred to a sum of £480,000 for administration and overheads. Is that right?

£488,000.

Approximately £½ million. Earlier in his reply did the Minister say that another figure he mentioned also covered administration and overheads?

No.

Is that the total expenditure to date?

On overheads.

Is it not a lot of money for the return we got from it?

I would regard the return from the activities of the Youth Employment Agency as being very considerable.

How many projects are under way?

A large number of projects are under way. The details are set out in the first report which was laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas. If the Deputy has not got a copy I will gladly get one for him.

How many young people are in training as a result of the agency's work and how many are in employment?

Last year some 50,000 young people participated in the schemes funded by the 1 per cent levy.

How many are participating at present?

The average participation is somewhere in the region of 20,000.

25.