Edward Nealon
Question:8 Mr. Nealon asked the Taoiseach whether arrangements are being made to computerise the operation of the next census, particularly the processing of the forms.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Census of Population.
The next Census of Population will be taken on Sunday, 21 April 1991. The details will be recorded on separate household forms by individual householders themselves. There will be about one million census forms.
With the exception of the details of name and address, the responses will be transferred to the Central Statistics Office's computer for processing.
The processing of the census results will be carried out in the Central Statistics Office's highly computerised environment utilising specialised statistical software and modern computer hardware.
At all stages of the operations the information will be treated as strictly confidential.
Would the Minister agree that much of the good work done in carrying out the census will be negatived if we have to wait 18 months to two years before getting meaningful results? In view of this would he give an undertaking that we will have the results within, say, three or four months?
No, I would not agree with the Deputy. A number of preliminary results will be published over the next 18 months. However, there will be periodic reports on different aspects of the census which will be very informative and helpful in all respects.
Given the large number of people emigrating at present, would the Minister of State not agree that some of the figures will be meaningless if we have to wait 18 months for the results?
Emigration is not an issue here as anyone who emigrates after census night will be included in the census, but that is a different matter altogether.
They will have left the country.
We have dealt with that issue on other occasions.
Would the Minister of State give consideration to a reduction from 100 years to 75 years of the period in respect of which census data is not published to enable the 1926 material to be made available? At the moment no data on any census carried out by this State is available to people seeking to use it for historical purposes.
We will consider that.
As the Deputy will understand, the census outlined is strictly confidential but I will certainly have his proposal and suggestion referred to the Central Statistics Office.
Let us now deal with questions nominated for priority to the Minister for Justice. I say again, as I have so often said before on coming to questions nominated for priority, that a rigid time limit applies under Standing Orders of this House in dealing with such questions.
It is not adhered to.
The Chair does his best and constantly refers to it but receives very little co-operation.