Pat Rabbitte
Ceist:64 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Taoiseach the progress, if any, made since September 1998 to compile and publish statistics on divorce in Ireland to an international standard; his views on the statement of the National Statistics Board in its Strategy for Statistics 1998-2002 that it finds the current situation regarding the compilation of statistics on divorce to be unsatisfactory; whether, in this regard, administrative difficulties between the courts and the Central Statistics Office alluded to by the board in its strategy statement have been resolved; his further views on whether it is necessary to amend the Statistics Act, 1993, to have the matters at issue resolved conclusively through arrangements between the CSO and the courts being put on a statutory footing; when statistics on divorce compiled to an international standard may be expected to be published; his further views on the statement of the National Statistics Board that there is a very important point of principle involved on this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1841/99]