Willie Penrose
Question:2 Mr. Penrose asked the Taoiseach the plans, if any, he has to carry out a livestock census; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9689/00]
Ceisteanna–Questions. - Agriculture Census.
The Central Statistics Office will carry out a census of agriculture on 1 June 2000 in compliance with Council Regulation (EU) No. 2467/96. The census will collect information on livestock, crops, labour input, farm machinery and miscellaneous agricultural activity for all farms in the country.
In view of the rapidly declining population in rural areas and the fact that we are within five years of the virtual dismantling of the CAP, will the Minister of State indicate whether the Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development and other Departments have considered the inclusion of other data in the census so that we might obtain a more detailed profile of life in rural areas and better inform our policy making?
I will bring the Deputy's suggestion of including other data to the attention of the relevant Departments. This year's census of agriculture will be carried out by post. In previous years it was carried out by means of a field operation. The change has come about due to fin ancial considerations and also because it is a statutory inquiry, and participation will be compulsory. I will bring to the attention of the relevant Departments the need to include as many as possible of the type of questions which will yield the information to which the Deputy referred. I do not have first hand knowledge of the range of questions included in the census.
The last census of agriculture was undertaken in June 1991 and, as stated earlier, the next one is due shortly. Until 1980, such censuses were compiled every five years and, subsequently, they have been compiled every ten years. The Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development will take questions later and he may have further views to offer on this matter.
I thank the Minister of State for his reply but I was referring to the creation of a statistical database from which we could construct well-informed and focused policy. It is obvious the number of people involved in agriculture will decline to a low level and I wonder if the Minister of State would perhaps consider referring the draft census to the National Economic and Social Forum or the Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine to allow them to investigate the inclusion of the additional questions to which I refer. This census is only carried out once every ten years and provides a mere snapshot in time. If we want to address the problems faced by rural communities – these do not relate exclusively to agriculture – we need to obtain as much information as possible and this is a unique opportunity to get it.
I will encourage the CSO to collect as much information as possible. The Deputy should remember that the census in question relates to livestock and is dedicated to collecting information on livestock, crops, farm machinery and miscellaneous agricultural activity. Therefore, it has more to do with agricultural produce than with the number of people involved in agriculture. Information on the latter can be found in the Central Statistics Office's quarterly surveys.
There is a regular flow of information about the numbers engaged in agriculture and the trends in that sector. I will certainly have a look at it.