Richard Boyd Barrett
Question:1. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the plans of the CSO for census 2022. [6394/22]
View answerTuesday, 22 February 2022
Questions (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
Paul Murphy
Question:2. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the plans of the CSO for census 2022. [6397/22]
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Aengus Ó Snodaigh
Question:3. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Taoiseach the changes that will be included in the information being sought in census 2022. [8040/22]
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John Lahart
Question:4. Deputy John Lahart asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the plans of the Central Statistics Office for census 2022. [10083/22]
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Cormac Devlin
Question:5. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the plans of the Central Statistics Office for census 2022. [10085/22]
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James O'Connor
Question:6. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the plans of the Central Statistics Office for census 2022. [10087/22]
View answerOral answers (7 contributions)
I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 6, inclusive, together.
The Central Statistics Office's preparations for census 2022 are at an advanced stage. Recruitment for the three layers of field managers is complete and those staff have commenced their employment. The Central Statistics Office, CSO, is currently in the process of recruiting over 5,000 enumerators and they are expected to begin their work with the delivery of the census forms to the public at the end of February. The delivery of the forms will be accompanied by a national publicity campaign to raise awareness of the census. Collection of the completed census forms will begin after census night on Sunday, 3 April 2022. It is expected that the collected forms will be returned to the CSO's Swords premises by June. All key IT systems for the census, including the census processing system, are either fully developed or are on track to be completed on time. The processing of the collected census forms is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2022.
The process to decide on the questions for the new census form began in October 2017, when the CSO launched a public consultation on the content for the next census. Suggestions for new census questions and changes to existing ones were invited as part of this consultation. Following the receipt of over 400 submissions, the CSO convened the census advisory group, CAG, to assist in selecting questions to be tested for potential inclusion in the census. The CAG membership was drawn from Government Departments and agencies, community, interest and religious groups, academic and research organisations, the social partners and the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency. A pilot census was conducted in September 2018 to test both new questions and revisions to questions used in census 2016 recommended by the CAG following an examination of the submissions. The CAG was reconvened in March 2019 to review the outcome of the pilot and to make recommendations to Government on the content for the census questionnaire. The recommendations were approved by Government in July 2019. Based on this process, the census 2022 questionnaire will contain eight new questions. These questions are on the following topics: renewable energy sources, Internet access and devices, smoke alarms, smoking, working from home, volunteering, childcare and travelling home from work, school or college. There will be changes to a further 25 questions. These changes range from substantial to minor. Substantial changes were made to the following 11 questions: number of rooms, country of citizenship, ethnic group, religion, Irish language, disability, difficulties, carers, level of education, present principal status and employment status. The questions on fertility, field of study and dwelling type were dropped. However, data will be collected on dwelling type using a new digital enumerator application developed by the CSO, and data on field of study will be produced using administrative data sources.
The census form will also contain a time capsule section for the first time. This optional section of the form will enable householders to complete a message of their choosing. These messages will be stored securely with the census forms for 100 years, when they will be released to the public, in line with section 35 of the Statistics Act 1993.
Detailed information will also be collected on the housing stock by census enumerators. For the first time, this information will include a reason for vacancy for dwellings which are found to be vacant. Detailed information on each question on the census 2022 form, including the changes made to questions retained from 2016, are available on the CSO website. The CSO expects to release preliminary population and housing results from census 2022 by the end of June 2022, with the publication of the detailed official results to commence in the second quarter of 2023. The census dissemination strategy, which outlines the plans for post-census publications, is available on the CSO website. A more detailed publication schedule will be released later this year.
That is the first time that I have heard about the time capsule section. I think that in the time capsule section on my form, I will ask the people who are still here in 100 years whether 100 years of government has managed to sort out the housing crisis. I fear we may well find that it has not. I wonder if the Government will have even managed the review of the social housing income threshold. Indeed, the reason I asked the question is because of the more immediate issue of the housing crisis. When I submitted a question before Christmas on the issue, the Minister of State informed me, if I understand him correctly, that in the questions to be asked in the census, we will still not get a count of derelict buildings in the country. I was unaware of that previously. That seems to me to be an extraordinary waste of an opportunity to ascertain the facts on one of the biggest issues facing this country that is directly related to whether we can actually solve the housing crisis in any sort of serious timeframe. It is a scandal beyond scandals how many derelict buildings there are in towns, villages and cities the length and breadth of this country and for us not to have a count of them. I know that in the last census there was a count of vacant buildings, but we need a count of derelict buildings. If I understand the Minister of State's answer correctly, given that the questions were set and finally signed off in 2019, surely the severity of the housing crisis and the importance of establishing the number of derelict houses means we should put a supplementary question into the census to help get that information.
I want to acknowledge the point made by the Minister of State on the time capsule. I think it is quite fascinating that it will be done and I welcome it. It will be interesting to see what each of us will put into our individual time capsules. I look forward to that measure. We are watching the census with real interest in Cork, particularly from a democratic and political perspective, due to the rapidly growing population. I live in one of the fastest growing metropolitan regions in the country. We are seeing significant growth in the population there. My concern is around the Electoral Commission and the statutory and constitutional obligations that are under that function. In addition to what is happening with the census, I ask the Minister of State to provide us with details on that particular issue. I think the Ceann Comhairle is immune from that particular issue, as he does not have to stand for election. I am sure many of us envy his position. It is quite interesting to consider the impact it will have on Dáil Éireann and what the projections may be, given the population growth. If the Minister of State could provide us with details on what may happen subsequent to the census, it would be much appreciated.
I thank the Minister of State for that update. The census is due to be conducted on Sunday, 3 April. Can he provide us with an update on its preparation? The census will provide a snapshot of post-Covid Ireland at the start of the 21st century. If arrangements have not been finalised, I ask the Minister of State to consider introducing indicators and questions in respect of the impact of climate change and biodiversity. Perhaps questions regarding the use of pay-as-you-go meters could be obtained as it is a strong indication of financial strain on households.
While we are discussing census 2022, I ask the Minister of State to consider accelerating the publication of the 1926 census. This is an issue I have raised previously in the Chamber. It has the potential to drive an interest in Ireland from diaspora. I take this opportunity to thank the visitors from the US who are in the Public Gallery today. The early publication of the 1926 census could be a boost for Irish tourism.
I note the views of Members on the time capsule. It will be fascinating to see what views Members of this House put into the time capsule to be opened in 100 years' time. I hope things are a lot more positive than Deputy Boyd Barrett's negative disposition.
So do I.
That is why the Government is absolutely committed to delivering on housing, giving that hope and ensuring the progressive delivery of social and affordable homes for many people.
As regards the Deputy's point on dereliction, I sent him a letter in recent weeks with the factual position on that. I will ask my officials to send him an updated note on that again, but I did follow up on it. I am not sure whether the Deputy has seen it, but I wrote to him in recent weeks with the factual position on dereliction and vacancy. I will ask my officials to send that to the Deputy again.
There is no space for a supplementary question. The census forms are printed and ready to go. As I stated, there is a process through the census advisory group which, obviously, concluded in 2019. There will be scope in the following census for any additional questions people might have.
On the point raised by Deputy O'Connor, I know the Ceann Comhairle takes a keen interest in Kildare South, notwithstanding his re-election to this Dáil. As regards the statutory and constitutional obligations the Deputy mentioned, it is expected that the delay of one year will result in a similar delay to the report of the next boundary commission. The deferral of the census by a year has the effect of delaying the establishment of the constituency commission by one year, until July 2022. The most recent constituency commission was established on 14 July 2016 following the publication of preliminary results of the census of population. The commission was required to present its report not later than three months after the publication by the CSO of the final result of the 2016 census. Final results for census 2016 were published on 6 April 2017.
Deputy Devlin asked about preparation. The CSO is employing 5,500 temporary field staff to carry out the next census, which will take place on 3 April 2022. This includes six census liaison officers, 46 regional supervisors, 466 field supervisors and 5,100 census enumerators. The census liaison officers, regional supervisors and field supervisors have taken up their posts. Offers of employment will issue to census enumerators at the end of next week. Since the pandemic began, the CSO has implemented full online interviewing for the recruitment process and online training of new staff.
As regards his point on the publication of the 1926 census, I understand work is under way to digitise that. That work is being carried out in conjunction with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, which has responsibility for the National Archives. I do not expect it to be published in the interim period but work is under way to meet the current deadline.