Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 March 2004
2 Mr. Sargent asked the Taoiseach if the CSO has considered asking questions on the census form on unremunerated work, as requested by the Women in the Home Group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1289/04]
View answerThe Central Statistics Office began a consultation process in November 2003 to consider topics to be included in the 2006 census. Notices were placed in the national press and on the CSO website which invited public submissions on the suggested content of the 2006 census questionnaire. A broadly-based consultative group was set up in December 2003 to assist the CSO in assessing the merits of the submissions received. The group has agreed the content of the census questionnaire to be used in a pilot survey of approximately 8,000 households which will be conducted in selected areas throughout the country next month. In addition to retaining some of the standard census questions, the survey form will also test a number of new potential census questions and a number of format changes to existing questions.
In response to the submission by the Women in the Home Group on unremunerated work, it was decided to include a question in the pilot test on the number of hours that adults spend doing unpaid work looking after the home or family.
I welcome the Minister of State's indication that there will be a question on unremunerated work in the census in future. I wrote to the Taoiseach on this matter on 10 December when the consultative group was established. Will the Minister of State indicate the degree to which the request for the format has been acceded, if it will be a general question on the number of hours spent in unpaid employment or unremunerated work, or will it be more detailed, specifying work with children, the elderly, disabled persons and unremunerated farm work, house work and voluntary work for the benefit of the community? Will the detail of the question represent the scale and variety of unremunerated work in the State? How detailed will the question be?
The questions are very detailed. The reference date for the pilot survey is 25 April 2004. Participants will be asked if they regularly do any unpaid work looking after the home or family. Examples listed include looking after children, cooking, cleaning, gardening, repairs and shopping. The categories are one to 14 hours per week, 15 to 28 hours per week, 29 to 42 hours per week or 43 or more hours per week.
The next question asks if a person provides regular unpaid personal help for a friend or family member with a long-term illness, health problem or disability, including problems which are due to old age. Personal help includes help with basic tasks such as feeding or dressing. The options listed are one to 14 hours per week, 15 to 28 hours per week, 29 to 42 hours per week and 43 or more hours per week.
A third question asks whether, in the past four weeks, a person has done any of a number of activities without pay and invites respondents to tick all applicable boxes. The categories are: helping or voluntary work with a social, charitable, sporting, political or cultural organisation, or any other voluntary activity.
The Deputy will agree that the information which can be gleaned from the survey is specific, not only with regard to people working in the home but also the additional time people give to activities outside the home. While we are all familiar with such activities, having the information categorised will be useful to us all in dealing with social policy.
I listened with great interest to the Minister of State's reply. Does she agree that unremunerated work is overlooked and is varied and comprehensive? According to research I have done, 148,754 people in the State look after people with a disability and 400,000 work full-time in the home as parents and carers. Does the Minister of State accept the need to reconsider the refusal of the request by the women in the home group to participate in the social partnership process?
The Deputy is moving beyond the scope of the question.
I appreciate that my question does not relate directly to the Central Statistics Office. Does the Minister of State recognise the importance of the sector?
I would prefer if the Deputy did not pursue the question. He could address it to the appropriate Minister.
I will do so and intend to discuss the issue of guaranteed basic income and other means to resource the sector. Does the Minister of State agree that this sector is much more important than is often acknowledged and that the survey will play an important part in efforts to address this imbalance in perception?
There are undoubtedly people who make a contribution to the social economy which is not recognised in what might be described as the market economy. They play a valuable role, even more valuable in some sectors than many people who are paid for their work.
The census has traditionally provided us with figures on the number of people involved in home duties. As a result of the questions I have outlined, we will now have specific information, even from the pilot scheme, on what exactly this type of work entails, especially where it involves looking after others, whether elderly people, children, those with health problems etc. It will also record information on general household work, which could be quite valuable.
In addition, the CSO has recently begun to record figures on child care, another element which links in with the questions to which we have referred. The women in the home group has made a major submission to the CSO on this area and its ideas have been taken on board in ensuring that the relevant questions were asked in the pilot scheme.
This is a pilot survey of 8,000 households in 30 areas and will take place on 25 April. The replies will be stratified according to urban or rural and deprived or non-deprived areas. It should allow the CSO to determine whether a core question could be inserted in the census form because such detailed questions could not be inserted in the 2006 census form. We need only think of people who are not full time in the home and those who are full time in the home and carry out these duties.
An important question concerns the issue of volunteers. We are all conscious of the role played by volunteers not only during the Special Olympics last year but in the ongoing Special Olympics drive throughout the country. Other organisations also play a role and it is important that should be recognised.
With the agreement of the House it is proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that we will move on to questions to the Minister for Finance, which shall conclude at 4.15 p.m.
