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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 6 May 1980

Vol. 320 No. 5

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Emigration Statistics.

3.

asked the Taoiseach the estimated total gross and net emigration from this country for each of the five years up to and including February 1980.

The only reliable estimates of migration flows are those for net migration compiled for intercensal periods by relating successive population figures to data for births and deaths in the same periods. For the intercensal period April 1971 to April 1979 this calculation yielded a net inward migration of 109,000 people.

Subject to this overall figure, estimates of net migration for individual years of the period have been made using a number of relevant indicators. These estimates, for the years ending in April 1975 to April 1979, are as follows:

Year ending April

1975

+ 20,000

,,,,,,

1976

+ 16,000

,,,,,,

1977

+ 10,000

,,,,,,

1978

+ 7,000

,,,,,,

1979

+ 16,000

the positive signs denoting a net inward movement.

Corresponding estimates for gross migration flows are not available.

I am confused by the figures. Do I take it that they are the net emigration figures estimated for those years?

The figures were obtained by taking outward movement and inward movement, births, deaths and so on into account. It is an indication and is the nearest we can get without a census.

Are the figures mentioned by the Minister the estimated net emigration figures?

Immigration figures—the coming back to Erin.

In the middle of the Coalition years.

Order, please. I am calling the next question.

One further aspect——

I have already called the next question.

How does the Minister relate the figures he has just mentioned to figures furnished to the House in 1978 in regard to the five-year period prior to 1978? Different figures were furnished then.

It is a different question, but I wish to help the Deputy.

The Minister is learning fast.

During the course of the next few months an estimate of the population at mid-April will be prepared using all the relevant indicators described above. This will be an attempt to estimate the net migration over the 12-month period ended April 1980. Far be it from me to criticise the last Government but somebody boobed when they did not hold the census. We are only using the other indicators to find out what the population is.

Is the Minister suggesting that the reply in 1978 was incorrect?

The reply was correct in so far as we had figures. There has been a census in the meantime.

The figure then given by the Minister was 10,000. He now mentions a figure of 20,000.

I have given the official figures.

I am quoting from a Dáil reply on 11 April 1978. Which answer is the correct one?

The one I gave, of course.

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