Trevor Sargent
Question:12 Mr. Sargent asked the Taoiseach the findings of the Preliminary Report on the 2002 Census; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18125/02]
Written Answers. - Census Report.
Gay Mitchell
Question:13 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Taoiseach when the next census report will be published. [21498/02]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 12 and 13 together.
The Census 2002 preliminary report, based on summary information assembled during the fieldwork, was published on 24 July 2002.
The main finding of the preliminary report was that the population increased by more than 290,000 persons between 1996 and 2002 to reach its highest level since 1871.
The preliminary total for the population enumerated on census night 28 April 2002 was 3.917.336 persons, compared with 3.626.087 in April 1996, representing an increase of 8% in six years.
The populations of Kildare, +29,003 and Meath +24,204 both increased by more than a fifth between 1996 and 2002. Other Leinster counties which showed large increases were Westmeath +13.8%, Wexford +11.7%, Laoighis +10.9%, Louth +10.5% and Carlow +10.2%. Overall, the increase in the population of Dublin was 6.1%; somewhat lower than for the State as a whole.
Cork City was the only administrative county in the State to register a population decline while for the first time on record the population of Leitrim has shown an increase, up 3% since 1996.
The CSO is committed to finalising the data capture phase of the census processing by the end of April 2003 and this work is proceeding on schedule. Following this it is planned to release the definitive demographic results from the census by the middle of 2003 and to follow this up with the remaining socio-economic results towards the latter part of the year.
Questions Nos. 14 to 17, inclusive, resubmitted.