asked the Taoiseach the number of citizens of the United Kingdom aged 18 or over at present resident in Ireland.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - UK Citizens Resident in Ireland.
8.
The specific information requested by the Deputy is not available. However, in the 1979 Labour Force Survey a question on nationality was included. On the basis of the information on nationality received in that sample inquiry, it is estimated that there were about 31,000 United Kingdom nationals, aged 15 years and over, usually resident in the State in May 1979.
Does that figure include people who were formerly resident in Northern Ireland?
I do not have that information but I will investigate the matter and inform the Deputy.
My question was put down to the Taoiseach and I should like to know if, in view of the information given by the Minister of State, it is the intention of the Taoiseach to extend voting rights for Dáil elections——
That is a separate question. This is a statistical question and the Deputy is now asking a separate question.
To clarify a point, I should like to know if those 31,000 people represent a number of citizens or people born in the United Kingdom? What was the question asked to which this figure of 31,000 is to apply?
It is the number of citizens of the United Kingdom aged 18 or over at present resident here.
The Minister mentioned aged 15 years and over.
My answer gave the figure in respect of 15 years and over.
I am referring to the answer to the question. In regard to the answer, is it clear that it relates to citizens or people born in the United Kingdom? What was the question asked in the Labour Force Survey to which 31,000 represented the reply?
It is those people aged 15 years of age and over who were resident in the State in May 1979.
Resident in the State and born in the United Kingdom, citizens of the United Kingdom or what?
It would be United Kingdom nationals.
Nationals, not citizens? What was the question in the Labour Force Survey to which 31,000 was the answer?
It was United Kingdom nationals, aged 15 years and over, usually resident in the State. Presumably, they would be people born in the United Kingdom.
Not necessarily, but the point is that they are nationals, whatever nationals may be.
On a point of clarification, I should like to know why the information is not available. Is it because of the free movement between Ireland and Britain without passport controls? Presumably, if I asked a question about the number of French nationals over 18 resident in Ireland I would be given an accurate answer because of passport controls. My question is very relevant to the question of voting rights. We do not even know how many citizens of the United Kingdom are here because we already have a very open arrangement of free movement between the two countries. Will the Minister tell the House why he does not have that information?
That is a separate question. I have given the Deputy all the information available from the Labour Force Survey. I do not think there is any other information available. At this stage I do not know the reason for that. I will endeavour to find out the reason for the Deputy.
Will the Minister give the House the figures for the last census of population in which the question was asked? That is what I thought he was giving. They would be reliable though out of date.
I do not think there was such a question in the last census of population in 1981.
I am aware of that, but will the Minister give the House the figures for the last census where the question was asked? It would be an accurate figure even if it is somewhat out of date.
I do not have that figure.
With respect, the Minister should have given it to us.
We cannot have a debate on this matter.
It is important to establish why we are not given these statistics. I am anxious to find out if they will be made available. In view of the stated desirability of extending the right to vote in Dáil elections to British citizens, as contained in the Anglo-Irish studies document, I should like to know if the Government have plans to compile a register of the number of British citizens resident in Ireland.
There is a question to another Minister on that matter on today's Order Paper.
That is not an answer to my question.
The matter will be dealt with under another question.
That may be so, but the Minister has not answered the question.
I cannot do anything about that.
I asked the Minister, in view of the gap in statistics which might be very important for future developments here, if the Government have plans to close that gap.
The Deputy may table a question about that matter but it does not arise now. The Deputy may ask a supplementary in relation to this when the other question is reached.