asked the Taoiseach if details of the recent census of population are available.
Ceistenna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Census Details.
3.
(Dún Laoghaire): The publication schedule for the results of the 1981 Census of Population comprises some 12 volumes. Volume I containing population figures for district electoral divisions, towns and larger units of area was published in September 1982. A further two volumes will be published later this year and the remaining volumes will be issued in 1984 and 1985.
Within the next few weeks, however, advance estimates of a summary nature based on an analysis of a 5 per cent sample of completed census returns will be published. These advance estimates will extend to a number of census topics which will be covered in greater details in various future volumes of the census publication schedule.
Would the Minister of State inform us whether or not the results of the census are such as to necessitate a revision of the constituencies and what plans the Government have in mind in that regard?
If the Deputy will bear with the Chair for one moment. The Minister of State produced the requisite figures. The Minister for the Environment is in charge of elections and that sort of thing and so this would be a matter for a different Minister.
My question is related to the statistics. Do the census results disclose statistical trends which would indicate a revision of constitutencies would be desirable or mandatory. I will leave it at that.
That is a matter for the Minister for the Environment.
I must not be articulating clearly. I am asking the Minister of State for statistical information, namely, whether or not the census results statistically indicate a revision of the constituencies is desirable or mandatory.
(Dún Laoghaire): Without trying to be unhelpful the question put to me derived, I believe, from the original question which was ruled out of order on the basis that portion of the question had already been answered by the Minister for the Environment. The information I am supplying is purely in relation to the question I have just answered. However, I shall try to be as helpful as possible and I will bring to the attention of the Minister for the Environment the point raised by the Leader of the Opposition in relation to the matter.
The Chair is clearly of the opinion that Deputy Haughey is asking the Minister of State to interpret statistics or to explain what effect these statistics will have on certain other statutes and, that being so, he is certainly not in order.
The Minister of State talked about my making a point. I am not making a point. I am asking a very direct statistical question, namely, whether or not the census figures statistically indicate some changes or some revisions of the constituencies are necessitated. That is totally statistical information.
That is not within this Minister's bailiwick. This Minister's bailiwick is to gather information and it is for other Ministers to say whether the information so gathered will affect their Departments or affect legislation for which they are responsible.
I am not asking the Minister of State to enter into any policy areas whatsoever. I am only asking him to indicate to me whether or not the census figures, having regard to the statistical situation laid down for the constituencies, indicate that some change is now necessary.
The Chair only wants to have a friendly exchange of words with Deputy Haughey. Really Deputy Haughey is asking the Minister of State to go and get an Act and see how that Act will be affected by information which he in his capacity as junior Minister in charge of statistics has collected.
On a point of order, the difficulty that arises here is that the answer would involve an interpretation of a High Court decision and that is something which could not be done on account of a statistical question.
Could I have the point of order again?
The Taoiseach has made a point of order to the Chair and the point of order is that to answer the Deputy's question might involve the interpretation of a High Court decision which would not be within the bailiwick of the Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach.
How does the Taoiseach arrive at the conclusion that for the Minister of State to answer my question would involve the interpretation of the Act?
I will not have criss-cross questions between the Taoiseach and the former Taoiseach.
On a point of order, I put down the question and I put it down originally to the Minister for the Environment and it was ruled out of order because part of the question had been dealt with previously. The information I wanted to elicit here in the House was whether the changes shown in the census would necessitate a revision of the constituencies——
Deputy, you are making exactly the same point.
——in which I have a particular interest and so has every other Member of the House except the Ceann Comhairle. So far my efforts directed to the Minister for the Environment and the Taoiseach to obtain enlightenment on this very important matter have not been successful.
I suggest that Deputy Fahey think again and I am sure he will find another formula that will get him the information he is looking for.
(Dún Laoghaire): Consideration is being given also to the publication of a series of county bulletins in order to expedite the issue of figures for individual counties and county boroughs. These bulletins will be based on data which will not be fully edited and which would not, therefore, be regarded as final figures. It is intended that the bulletins will be issued over the period late 1983 to the end of 1984.
I take it from the Minister of State's reply that part of Deputy Fahey's question was disallowed because the second part of his question had been answered previously by the Minister for the Environment in reply to a question which I had put down. If I recall correctly, the Minister for the Environment on that occasion — am I correct in this? — stated to the House that the detailed information arising from the most recent census was not yet available to him or to the Government to enable them to make any decision in regard to the need for constituency revisions. Could the Minister of State give a clear indication to the House as to when the detail which would enable the Government to make this decision will be available, arising out of that last census?
The Minister of State has brought this on himself.
(Dún Laoghaire): I have just given the information in reply to the question. I have given the information for which I was asked and which was available. I think that answers the point raised.