asked the Taoiseach the estimated total amount of gross and net emigration from this country for each of the five years up to and including 1977.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Emigration Statistics.
1.
The available information relates only to net migration—there are no data on the gross flows of migrants in and out of the country. The only reliable estimates of net migration are compiled for intercensal periods by relating successive population figures to data for births and deaths in the same periods.
An indication of the trend of net migration each year can be obtained from the figures for net passenger movement by sea and air. While these have shown the correct direction of the net migration flow and provided a reasonable estimate have yielded of magnitude, it should be borne in mind that these estimate have yielded significantly different aggregates when compared with the more accurate estimates for some past intercensal periods based on population counts. The following are the net passenger balance figures for sea and air for the 12-month periods ending in February for each of the years 1973 to 1977:
|
Year |
ending |
February: |
1973, |
|
+4,700; |
1974, |
+6,600; |
1975, |
|
+10,300; |
1976, |
+2,200; |
1977, |
|
--6,700, |
( -- denotes net emigration). |
The 12-month period ending in February is consider to best reflect the trend in net migration as seasonal and tourist passenger traffic is lowest at that time of the year. Data for the 12-month period ending in February 1978 are not yet available.