My question was in relation to Question No. 8. The Minister grouped Questions Nos. 8, 17 and 20 together. In relation to Question No. 20, may I ask the Minister if the statement which is in my question, that the Teamwork scheme has been cut by 41 per cent in 1986 is correct?

The Deputy is reasonably good at mathematics. In 1985 the number of people participating in the Teamwork scheme was 1,912 and in 1986 is is 1,125. That is a reduction of 41 per cent. On the overall national training programmes and manpower services the increase is 18 per cent from 1985 to 1986.

If, as the Minister said in reply to an earlier question by Deputy De Rossa, this Teamwork scheme has been so successful and if the scheme has operated with such beneficial advantages to so many people, why did the Government in the preparation of the Book of Estimates cut the scheme by 41 per cent? The answer is not that there is nobody on the waiting list.

The Deputy is probably aware that when the applications for the Teamwork scheme were received initially those who were active and farseeing enough began to apply for a range of schemes which were extremely broad. The trend of expenditure under the Teamwork scheme for the period of its operation was spiralling upwards. One could spend up to £20 million on the applications which had come in. Many of these were not strictly related to the initial brief of the Teamwork operation. Many which were refused assistance under the scheme have drawn assistance from the social employment scheme which has increased dramatically since last year.

If the application for the Teamwork scheme is refused and if, as in the case of a Dublin person where there is no social employment scheme, people are not able to transfer from the Teamwork scheme to the social employment scheme, what is the position? His or her only recourse is social employment assistance and the dole queues.

That is a matter for the Minister for Social Welfare.

It is the logic of this which defeats us all. Would the Minister not think it would be better for people to receive money under the Teamwork scheme when they are doing something of community value rather than being on the dole queues? Has that been taken into account?

As Minister of State with responsibility in this area I accept that it is much more logical to have young people employed in productive work than to have them drawing practically the same amount of money from the social schemes. I am concerned about this and I would like to see a further allocation made under the Teamwork scheme. There was a secondary allocation made last year bringing the amount to £8.5 million. I have requested further funding but I am not in a position to say whether it will be granted.