Vol. 421 No. 4
73 Mr. Callely asked the Taoiseach if he will outline the number of people who emigrated from Ireland over the past five years and the way in which these figures are calculated; and whether he has satisfied himself with the way those calculations are worked out.
To determine the level of emigration accurately in any period it would be necessary to have comprehensive documentary or other administrative procedures relating to the movement of persons into and out of the State. In the absence of such procedures the only reliable estimates are those for net migration (i.e. the difference between inward and outward flows) between successive Censuses of Population.
In the 1986/1991 intercensal period it is estimated that outward migration exceeded inward migration by about 136,500 persons. This figure is derived as a residual by subtracting the natural increase in the population (that is the number of births less the number of deaths from the change in population as measured by the 1986 and 1991 Census of Population.
|
Population 1986 |
Population 1991 |
Change in Population |
Births |
Deaths |
Natural Increase |
Net Migration |
|
(a) |
(b) |
(c)=(b)-(a) |
(d) |
(e) |
(f)=(d)-(e) |
(g)=(c)-(f) |
|
Thousands |
||||||
|
3,540.6 |
3,523.4 |
-17.2 |
277.5 |
158.3 |
119.2 |
-136.5 |
