Arising from the Minister's reply to my former question, may I take it that the only reason the 14,000 small farmers on unemployment assistance are not allowed to avail of Jobsearch is that it will make the unemployment statistics look 14,000 better? It is a cynical exercise.

Frightening use of their situation.

I think the Deputy did not listen to the answer I gave. I pointed out that smallholders are not without work. The long-term unemployed are long term, over 12 months, without any work of any sort and without income of any sort. The smallholders are in a somewhat better position than that, even though I accept what the Deputy says that some of them may have very small incomes from their holdings.

They are drawing it from 25 years, not 12 months but 25 years.

They are in a different situation. As we go further with offering the options to the people who are long-term unemployed, it may become possible to offer them to others. It is a question of priorities.

Not one permanent job has arisen from the scheme.