Paschal Donohoe
Question:116. Deputy Paschal Donohoe asked the Taoiseach the reason data from the 1926 census will not be made publicly available until 2027; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33146/13]
View answerTuesday, 9 July 2013
Questions (116)
Written answers
The Censuses of Population carried out between 1926 and 1991 were undertaken under the 1926 Statistics Act which did not permit access to Census records at any time. The Statistics Act, 1993 repealed the 1926 and 1946 Statistics Acts, and provided for the release of census forms from these censuses 100 years after the date of the relevant Census. As such, data from the 1926 Census will be made available in 2026. A further reduction of the guarantee could be incorrectly interpreted by some as a relaxation by the CSO in its approach to confidentiality and the protection of data supplied to it under the Statistics Act, 1993.
Independence, objectivity and the guarantee of confidentiality are the core values of official statistics which have helped create a positive image of, and ensure public trust in, official statistics in Ireland. Statistical confidentiality is the cornerstone of all CSO work. This is the reason for the legal guarantees contained in the Statistics Act 1993. Any action that could lead to a weakening of that public trust would be detrimental not just to the Census of Population but also to the broader activities of the CSO covering areas such as economic, business and social statistics.
In conclusion I am satisfied that the 100 year period provided for in the Statistics Act strikes the right balance between facilitating legitimate historical and genealogical research on the one hand, while protecting the confidentiality of census data and maintaining the integrity of CSO guarantees procedures.