I propose to take Question Nos. 55 and 56 together.
The social guarantee year is operated on the basis of an academic year and in the year 1986-87, some 13,000 young people were notified to the National Manpower Service by schools. Of this number 88 per cent were invited for interview.
The percentage of young people who attended a social guarantee interview and who were offered a place during the period was 70 per cent.
The Deputy will appreciate that not all those invited for interview or who turned up for interview were, for a number of reasons available or interested in pursuing a social guarantee programme. The intention is that all those interested and eligible will be offered a place on a suitable programme as quickly as possible. The guarantee is subject to review at the end of five years and all relevant information will be communicated to the commission during the course of this review.