The CSO works hard to ensure that the information collected and provided from the census remains current, relevant and of maximum use to the public. While it has been common practice for past censuses to conduct a public consultation on possible new questions and changes to existing questions, given the very tight constraints on resources in recent years it was not possible to pursue this route for Census 2016. Accordingly the 2016 census will be run as a ‘no-change’census with all questions (including the ethnicity question) on the 2016 questionnaire remaining unchanged from those used in the 2011 census, with the exception of the question on marital status.
The ethnicity question allows a person to describe his or her ethnic or cultural background under a number of broad headings. While there is no Roma tick box option currently available under the ethnic and cultural background question, all persons can avail of a write-in box to describe their ethnicity or cultural background if they feel that the options available are not adequate.
It is intended to raise awareness on this issue as part of our Census 2016 publicity campaign.
The following is an extract from the explanatory notes section of the Census 2016 questionnaire and refers specifically to the ethnic or cultural background question.
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Question 11 – What is your ethnic or cultural background?
If you do not feel that the options in sections A to D adequately describe your ethnic or cultural background, you should mark box 8 and write your ethnicity into the boxes provided.
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D. Other, including mixed background
8 Other, write in description
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