Government Chief Whip Paul Kehoe TD has called on the Irish public to play their part in ensuring that Sunday’s Census is a resounding success.
Minister Kehoe said, “Traditionally the Irish public has diligently filled in their Census forms and this has ensured that the information gleaned from the exercise has been extremely valuable. This is a particularly crucial census, taking place at a time of unprecedented demographic and social change in Ireland.”
The Minister said, “As we all know, this is a very important time for Ireland. As a society we are faced now with making crucial decisions about our future and it is imperative that we have accurate and objective information on which to base those decisions. The census is the most comprehensive and valuable of these information sources. It is critical therefore that everyone in the State on Sunday night is included in preparing this accurate and up-to-date picture of Ireland.”
He added, “The census is an opportunity for all of us to contribute to a common store of knowledge about who we are so that our needs for the future can be addressed. It provides data which is indispensible for Government, for policy makers, for organisations and for individuals. For Government to function effectively it is essential that we have a detailed, accurate and up to date picture of the Irish people - men and women, children and the elderly, the employed, the unemployed and those not in the labour force, urban and rural, our education and skills, the languages we speak, our health, and how we travel to work and school. These are things we need to know in order to make informed decisions in various policy areas.”
One of the greatest benefits of the census is that the results are available for everyone to use, from small start-up businesses to multi-nationals, local authorities to transport providers, media, students, commentators, local communities and so on. The list goes on because the census is a resource which is available to all and which we can all use, whatever our specific needs for information may be.
Minister Kehoe reaffirmed the confidentiality of all information collected from individual households pointing out that this confidentiality is guaranteed by law and strictly enforced by the CSO, which does not make identifiable census data available to any other organisation or individual. Only staff directly employed by the CSO have access to census data and all staff are fully aware of their legal obligations in regard to confidentiality.
In concluding, the Minister expressed his appreciation of the commitment of everyone in the Central Statistics Office in particular, the 5,500 field staff who are carrying out the detailed work on the ground.
Note: A translation of the Census form is available in 21 other languages aside from Irish and English. The form is also available in large print, Braille and an audio version for visually impaired. The CSO has also worked with the National Adult Literacy Agency to develop a step-by-step guide to filling out the form. Further information on the census is available on the 2011 census website www.census.ie.