asked the Taoiseach if it is satisfactory that the Central Statistics Office have only recently produced District Electoral Division/Ward Level Census Statistics four years after the census was taken; and if he will outline his proposals to have such important data for decision-making bodies such as local councils and planners available in a much shorter time after each census.
Written Answers. - Processing of Census Results.
39.
Census of population results become available gradually over an extended period of time with increasing coverage of the details collected. The first results from the 1981 census, published in the "Preliminary Report" in October 1981, gave population figures for each urban and rural district. Detailed population counts by District Electoral Division/Ward were published in volume I of the census report in September 1982 while, as indicated in that volume, population figures at townland level were available on request. Further small area statistics containing classifications of the population by sex and five year age groups to the level of District Electoral Division/Ward and also towns of 1,000 population and over were furnished, in response to planners requests, from July 1983. A more detailed version still containing information on households, families and the number of elderly persons living alone was available in January 1984. The most detailed version containing some 30 different tabulations was available in July 1985.
Many specific requests from planners seeking to obtain special tables and analyses have been dealt with by the Central Statistics Office since the census was taken. In this context may be cited the very detailed information provided from September 1983 which formed an important input towards the publication of "the Eastern Region Settlement Strategy to 2011".
The time interval in which the most detailed processing and analysis of census results can be compiled is directly related to the resources which can be devoted to the task. In this context I am satisfied with the availability of results from the 1981 census.