asked the Minister for Industry, Trade, Commerce and Tourism if he will indicate the action being taken by the IDA to provide employment in north Kerry where there is 21 per cent unemployment.

I am informed that the Industrial Development Authority will continue to actively promote the following facilities available for industrial development in the north Kerry area.

The figures show how interested we are in Kerry in providing land for industry but there is not much good in providing land and advance factories unless we have industrialists to use them. We have 603 acres in the Tarbert-Ballylongford area on the Shannon where there should be great potential. Since the unemployment rate is 22 per cent, a special task force should be set up for north Kerry.

I do not wish to be ungracious to the Deputy but most of that unemployment accumulated during his party's period in Government. The trend in north Kerry is now in the right direction. The rate of growth in unemployment in Tralee last year was well below the national average and in the Listowel employment exchange area unemployment actually fell by 10 per cent during the past 12 months. This indicates clearly that this Government are working very effectively to reverse accumulated unemployment problems in north Kerry.

I do not agree with the Minister that those people became unemployed while there was a Fianna Fáil Government.

I did not expect that the Deputy would agree, but the facts speak for themselves.

I cannot allow an argument or a debate at Question Time.

Many Kerry people were employed in west Limerick at that time when the smelter was being built. The number of people unemployed has increased substantially since this Government came into office.

I do not want to be ungracious to the Deputy and I am sure he is doing all he can, but the facts speak for themselves.

And the young people do not believe them.

20.