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Census of Population

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 March 2022

Tuesday, 8 March 2022

Questions (230)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

230. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the plans for the early release of the 1926 census; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13116/22]

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Written answers

The Deputy will be pleased to hear that details of the 1926 Census have been published by the Central Statistics Office (CSO)  in 10 volumes as follows:- 

- Volume 1 - Population, area and valuation of each DED and each larger Unit of Area

- Volume 2 - Occupations

- Volume 3 - Religion and birthplaces

- Volume 4 - Housing

- Volume 5 - Ages, orphanhood and conjugal conditions

- Volume 6 - Industrial status

- Volume 7 - Industries

- Volume 8 - Irish language

- Volume 9 - Dependency

- Volume 10 - General Report

The CSO is responsible for the gathering of census data in Ireland.  All of this information can be viewed on the CSO website at the following link: Census 1926 Reports - CSO - Central Statistics Office. 

Sections 33 and 35 of the Statistics Act 1993 allow for the release of information gathered by a Census that relates directly or indirectly to an identifiable person, 100 years after the date that the census was taken.  As the 1926 Census was taken on 18 April 1926, this personal information can be made available from 18 April 2026.  This information will be made available after that date, subject of course to GDPR concerns relating to people still living.  Making the details of individuals and households from the 1926 Census available digitally will require a significant volume of work to collate, conserve, index and digitise the original census returns.  That work will take several years to complete and a capital allocation of €5 million has been provided for that purpose.  Officials from my Department, which includes the National Archives, have carried out detailed preliminary examinations of the work required. 

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