417 Mr. V. Brady asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will outline the cost of the book produced recently by his Department which details information on Social Welfare services, 1991; and if it is considered that such a lavish production is justified in the present economic climate.

The cost of producing the book "Statistical Information on Social Welfare Services 1991" is approximately £7,000. A proportion of this cost is recovered through sales of this report.

The Statistical Report has been published annually since 1983. It is a very useful reference for persons and organisations who require statistical information on social welfare services. It presents this information in a simple, straightforward way and the reaction from users has been very favourable, with a wide range of organisations indicating that they find the publication useful. In view of this, I consider that continued publication of the book is justified.