Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 May 2019
91. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Taoiseach if the National Statistics Board received a document outlining concerns with staffing and culture at the CSO in August 2018; and if so, the action taken by the board to investigate or address these concerns. [20379/19]
View answerAn anonymous document entitled “Protecting Trust in all Official Statistics Produced in Ireland” was received by members of the National Statistics Board in early September 2018. This document was considered by the Board at its meeting on 5 September 2018.
The then Chairperson subsequently asked the Director General of the CSO for a response to the matters raised in the document in so far as they relate to trust in, and quality of, official statistics in Ireland. This response, from the CSO Management Board, was considered by Board members who were satisfied that the CSO had fairly and comprehensively addressed the issues raised. The Board also noted that it will continue to be briefed on issues relating to trust in, and quality of, official statistics in Ireland, in line with its terms of reference.
A number of further anonymous documents making similar or related claims about the CSO have been circulated during the course of 2019. The National Statistics Board will continue to consider seriously these and any other issues relating to the quality of official statistics in Ireland. However it retains full confidence and trust in the quality of statistics produced by the CSO.
