Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 10 Mar 1992

Vol. 417 No. 1

Written Answers. - Alcohol and Tobacco Consumption.

John Bruton

Ceist:

23 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Taoiseach the reason the latest statistical information on alcohol and tobacco consumption published in the Economic Series for February 1992 is over six months old; and whether the Revenue Commission have more up-to-date statistics.

The Taoiseach

The statistics referred to by the Deputy are collected by the Revenue Commissioners and published by the Central Statistics Office in their monthly Economic Series.

To allow for the analysis and summarisation of raw data of this type there is understandably a delay between its collection and when it is ready for publication.

The Revenue Commissioners appreciate that the optimum value of such statistics depends on their timely availability. They have already taken steps to improve the timeliness of the statistics in question.