Finance Committee to meet with CSO on GDP calculations and on EU plans to collect data on social issues

12th October 2016

The agenda for the meeting is as follows:

(i) Further scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals: (i) COM(2016)551 & COM(2016)557; and

(ii) Review of the methodology for calculating national economic output employed by the CSO [Mr Padraig Dalton, Director-General, Central Statistics Office.

Committee Chairman John McGuinness TD, said, “Tomorrow’s meeting will begin with further scrutiny of two EU legislative proposals for the collection of statistical data, including data on social issues. The purposes of the proposals are to make economic and social data collection more comparative across the EU to assist in the planning of future EU social and economic strategies. The CSO has expressed concerns on the planned methodology to be used.”

“The second part of the meeting will focus on a review of the methodology used by the CSO to calculate the national economic output of the state. This relates to the calculation of GDP figures and its usefulness in the context of the Irish economy. Committee Members will focus on the significant rise in the 2015 GDP, in view of the negative commentary it attracted.”

Committee proceedings can be viewed live here.

Committee proceedings can also be viewed on the move, through the Houses of the Oireachtas Smartphone App, available for Apple and Android devices.

ENDS/