Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 2 Apr 1996

Vol. 463 No. 6

Written Answers. - Census Enumerator Posts.

Róisín Shortall

Question:

94 Ms Shortall asked the Taoiseach if his attention has been drawn to the difficulties faced by lone parents in applying for the posts of FÁS of census enumerators in spite of their specific targeting for these posts; and the reason steps were not taken with the appropriate authorities in advance of these posts being advertised to ensure that secondary benefits, such as rent allowance, were retained by lone parents in view of the short-term nature of this employment. [6978/96]

The Taoiseach

The Central Statistics Office has recently recruited over 3,400 part-time enumerators to carry out the fieldwork for the forthcoming Census of Population. Employment as an enumerator is insurable and involves about 25 hours work each week.

In recruiting the enumerators preference was given to persons who were not in paid employment. The CSO agreed in advance with the Department of Social Welfare that unemployed persons appointed as enumerators would be allowed to sign on the live register for a maximum of three days a week during their 8-10 week period of employment on the census.

However, the eligibility conditions for secondary benefits such as rent allowances are covered by Department of Social Welfare legislation. Any questions relating to an individual's entitlement to benefit under these schemes is a matter for that Department.

The CSO is in the same position in relation to the statutory rules on secondary benefits as any other employer who is offering part-time short-term employment. The legislative rules cannot be disregarded selectively, say in relation to the enumerator posts. Accordingly, the normal rules apply equally to all welfare recipients, including lone parents, who take up such part-time employment, irrespective of whether the employer is in the public or private sector.