Vol. 531 No. 1
2 Mr. Ring asked the Taoiseach the number of people who have applied for employment as enumerators during the next census; when the positions will be filled; and if priority can be given to the appointment of people who are unemployed, widows or widowers to carry out the census work. [2149/01]
After a highly successful advertising campaign more than 13,000 persons applied for the 4,000 enumerator positions advertised by the Central Statistics Office for Census 2001. Census day will be 29 April 2001.
Interviewing took place over a two and a half week period commencing on 24 January. The appointment of successful candidates will commence on 26 March. All appointments will be offered strictly in accordance with the order of ranking on the basis of overall suitability, determined at interview, subject to location constraints.
In keeping with the practice adopted in pre vious censuses, preference will be given to suitably qualified applicants who are not already in paid employment. A person's marital status will not be a criterion for selection as an enumerator.
Has the Department sent out a directive that people who are unemployed should get priority, provided they have the educational requirements? My understanding is that if the applicant has the educational requirements, they will qualify. However, it is not stated on the application form that priority will be given to people who have those educational requirements but who are unemployed. Will the Minister give a breakdown of the number of supervisors at county and regional levels? Are these people on State pensions and from what sections of society are they drawn – the local authorities, the Garda or the Army? Are the unemployed getting a fair crack of the whip?
I do not have a regional breakdown. I suspect that nothing short of the full list for County Mayo would satisfy the Deputy.
Maybe even Connacht.
The Deputy would probably like the names and addresses too.
I would be interested.
A total of 13,000 persons were offered interviews, from whom 4,000 have been selected. Overall suitability is determined at interview and this is balanced with location constraints. That is the approach to making the appointments. The CSO has a practice, which is very much in force on this occasion also, of giving preference when making these appointments to persons who are not in paid employment. As far as I know, the Department of the Taoiseach did not send out a directive in that regard, given the CSO policy. It is a well known policy which the office has used previously.
I put the Minister on notice that I will put down further questions after the closing date to find out how many enumerators are already on State pensions and how many are unemployed. It is my understanding that people who are unemployed and who have the necessary qualifications are not getting priority. That would be shameful. Can the Minister do anything at this stage to send a directive asking that the Central Statistics Office interviewers give priority to unemployed people who have the necessary qualifications?
One cannot make unemployment the main criterion. Suitability must be the priority. We must ensure the people are suitable in the first place—
That is what I am saying.
Within that guideline, people who are unemployed or who are not in paid employment will get preference. Suitability is the priority. The Deputy referred to State pensions. Those people might happen to be more suitable because they might have State pensions from employments which made them suitable. Therefore, one would have to give them priority.
Did the Minister say there were 13,000 applicants or 13,000 interviews? How many applicants were there?
There were 13,000 applicants and 13,000 persons were offered interviews.
Every applicant was interviewed?
Yes.
Who is responsible for conducting the interviews, FÁS, the CSO or the Department of the Taoiseach?
The CSO.
And it interviewed 13,000 people?
I have some sympathy with Deputy Ring's question. In evaluating the suitability of candidates, are questions asked about the applicant's proficiency in Irish, given that a number of citizens would prefer to deal with an enumerator through Irish?
I do not have that information with me but I understand that where it is relevant in Gaeltacht areas and—
Is it asked?
They have to collect the forms and discuss them when they are collected in the four week period after 29 April. It is part of their brief to assist the person in completing the form and if the form is not completed, they will discuss it with the person on the doorstep and assist him or her in doing it. Where Irish is required in that regard, I am almost certain the applicant would be asked at interview if he or she could do that. The doorstep is the main place they would come into contact with the resident.
I did not refer to a requirement for Irish in my question. I asked if proficiency in Irish was among the questions, not if it would be required. I asked if it would be evaluated so that not just in Gaeltacht areas but throughout the country where there are gaelscoileanna – there are gaelscoileanna in nearly all constituencies – it would be noted that a number of enumerators could speak Irish if required.
The answer is yes. In determining the overall suitability of persons for these posts and if Irish is required in the area, the person's ability to use Irish would be a factor in their appointment.
An mbeidh foirmeacha i nGaeilge ar fáil ag daoine a iarrann iad, go speisialta sa Ghaeltacht, nó an foirmeacha dhátheangacha atá ann?
Tuigim go bhfuil na foirmeacha i nGaeilge sa Ghaeltacht agus tá foirmeacha i nGaeilge ann do dhaoine má tá siad ag teastáil uathu.
(Carlow-Kilkenny): The Minister said the CSO is organising the interviews. The CSO has a small staff. Who will carry out the interviews and would it be unfair to worry about political influence in that? The Skibbereen Eagle will be only in the halfpenny place compared to Deputy Ring in monitoring what will happen.
The Central Statistics Office is responsible for arranging the interviews through its staff. I am not clear if it uses an outside agency or support in doing that. The office would have up to 1,000 people on its staff, which is a fair number. I will have to check if it uses support in certain areas. However, this is the responsibility of the CSO. The Department is not consulted in any way about who will be given the appointments and, apart from Deputy Ring, there is no other political interest in them.
