asked the Taoiseach whether particulars in regard to the number of Irish speakers in the Twenty-Six Counties were taken in the 1956 census; and, if not, why; and whether any particulars later than those taken in the 1946 census are available.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Irish Speakers in Twenty-Six Counties.
2.
An inquiry into the knowledge and use of the Irish language was carried out in Gaeltacht areas in conjunction with the 1956 Census of Population. The results obtained, for reasons stated in my reply of 22 July, 1959 to a question by Deputy Lynch, were not considered to be sufficiently reliable to merit publication. The 1946 Census of Population is the most recent census at which particulars of Irish speakers in the entire State were obtained or for which published results are available.
It is an extraordinary statement that the census of 1956 was not reliable. A very expensive census was taken and now we are told that we cannot rely upon it. Is the Minister aware that the information I got last year was incorrect since it was based upon a report 14 years old? Since then 250,000 people, the majority of them from the land, have left the State. I asked for an explanation and the Parliamentary Secretary gave me none except to say that the Census was unreliable.
The Deputy is not asking a question; he is making a statement.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary say whether the reference to the number of Irish speakers according to the 1956 Census refers to an enumeration of the whole country or only part of the country?
The enumeration carried out in connection with the 1956 census was confined to the Gaeltacht areas alone.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary say whether any steps have been taken in the meantime to see what was wrong or what was distorted or incorrect in the figures that were then procured?
The matter has been very fully examined and I hope we shall be able to apply the results of that examination when we come to take the Census next year.
Is it then intended that an enumeration will be carried out next year on exactly similar lines to the special enumeration carried out in 1956?
I do not think so. The Deputy will appreciate that one of the difficulties in trying to get information in regard to such a matter as ability to speak Irish is that you are dependent very largely upon what the individual will say of himself and the capacity of the enumerator to judge the accuracy of his reply. That is one of the problems to which the experts in the Central Statistics Office are giving attention, and they hope to be able to devise a method by which we can get information upon which we can rely.
Is the Taoiseach not aware that the enumeration carried out in 1956 was not a question as to whether individual people were able to speak Irish or not, but on a question as to the state of the language in a particular household, the number of households in which Irish was dominant and the number of houses in which English was dominant? Do I understand that no steps have been taken to examine what might have been an inaccuracy in the enumeration carried out in 1956, and that there is no intention of carrying out any kind of similar examination next year with a view to getting a clearer picture of the information that it was intended to get in 1956?
Naturally a great deal of thought was given to the outcome of the 1956 enumeration, but with regard to the Deputy's second supplementary question concerning the procedures which it is contemplated to adopt in the General Census next year, I think it would be wiser if he gave notice of that. It would be more satisfactory.
Could the Taoiseach draw the attention of the Minister for the Gaeltacht to the position involved here, and perhaps he might be in a position to make a statement dealing with the matter when he introduces his Estimate?
Could we not now know the number of Irish speakers in the Gaeltacht counties and compare that with the number obtained for the previous ten years? We can then know whether there are more or fewer speakers.
The Deputy will have to wait for next year's census.
The Parliamentary Secretary says that the census was not reliable. Will he tell us was that caused by the fact that the people did not tell the truth?
No, the Parliamentary Secretary did not say that. He said the special enumeration carried out in 1956 in Gaeltacht areas did not produce material which could be published as reliable, and that is the problem that has been receiving attention.
I did not say the Parliamentary Secretary said that, but does this thing stem from the fact that the enumerators were not told the truth—that the people said they were Irish speakers and they were not Irish speakers?
I think the weakness was in regard to the enumerators.
I think the weakness was in the people who were hoping they would get jobs if they knew Irish.
All against the language.
You are doing a job on the language anyway.