Vol. 426 No. 5
3 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Taoiseach the extent of the delay in months between the taking of each census since the foundation of the State and the publication of the breakdown of population numbers for all parts of the country on a DED basis.
Final population headcounts at a DED level for each census of population are published in volume 1 of the relevant census reports. The timelag in months between the taking of each census since the foundation of the State and the publication of the corresponding volume 1 details is contained in a statement which I propose to circulate in the Official Report.
In relation to the 1991 Census of Population, it is expected that the timelag for publication of volume 1 details will be the same as that for 1986.
I should also point out that a census of agriculture was carried out immediately following the fieldwork stage of the population census, using the same field staff, which resulted in a saving of approximately £1.5 million over the cost of two separate operations.
Following is the statement:
Timelag in months between the taking of a census and the publication of final DED figures for the State:
|
Year |
Timelag |
|
1926 |
25 |
|
1936 |
24 |
|
1946 |
49 |
|
1951 |
20 |
|
1956 |
19 |
|
1961 |
23 |
|
1966 |
13 |
|
1971 |
15 |
|
1979 |
10 |
|
1981 |
17 |
|
1986 |
26 |
Notes:
1. It is expected that the timelag for publication of the 1991 Volume 1 details will be the same as that indicated for 1986.
2. The variation in the timelags shown reflects:
(a) the staff resources devoted to the production of the census results; and
(b) the strategy adopted in the overall processing of the census, particularly regarding the balance between the finalisation of detailed and summary results.
3. In response to use demand, the emphasis in the 1986 and 1991 censuses was placed on finalising basic demographic details (i.e. age, sex, marital status, household size and composition) as early as possible and publishing these in local population reports on a county by county basis as soon as they were available. This strategy has been favourably received by general census users but has had an adverse effect on the publication timelag for the Volume 1 report.
4. Preliminary population headcounts at the level of urban and rural district were published within three months of taking the 1991 census. The corresponding preliminary DED figures were made available on demand.
Would the Minister of State agree that a timelag of almost two years in the disaggregation of this data is very hard to explain in the light of the availability to the Central Statistics Office of much more advanced information technology and data processing technology than was available at the time the State was founded? It would appear census data was available as quickly, if not more quickly, than it is now.
The timelag to which I referred is approximately the same as it was between 1986 and 1991. It is in line, as the Deputy will see from the Official Report, with previous experience. The average timelag is about 21-22 months going back to 1926. As I outlined in my reply, the people taking the census were also engaged in taking a census of agriculture. Further, in response to user demand, the emphasis in the 1986 and 1991 censuses was placed on finalising basic demographic details, that is, age, sex, marital status, household size and composition as early as possible and publishing these in local population reports on a county by county basis as soon as they were available. That strategy has been welcomed and received very favourably by census users. In that context the timelag is reasonable.
Could the Minister explain whether the Central Statistics Office use computers for disaggregating this data? If so, how much have they spent on computers? If they have spent money on computers why does it still take them as long to disaggregate this data as it took in 1926?
I have answered that question in detail——
The Minister has not.
——and I do not propose to delay the time of the House going back over that detail. For the information of the Deputy, the Central Statistics Office uses computers quite extensively and if he tables a question in relation to the cost of that I will try to get him that information.
They would be faster using an abacus.
The information given by the Minister is very important. In view of the ongoing dispute, when does the Minister expect the Official Report to be circulated?
As outlined in a reply to a question last week, we expect it to be available by the end of March.
Can I take it from the Minister of State's reply that is the information which will enable the revision of constituency work to proceed?
That is correct.
The questions we are about to embark upon are questions nominated for priority for which 20 minutes is now available. Let us seek to dispose of the five questions before us within the 20 minutes prescribed in our new Standing Order.
