Mr. Pádraig Dalton:

The provision of data to Europe is mandatory. It is a legal requirement on Ireland Inc. The CSO fulfils the role of providing information to Europe. The decision of householders to engage with the survey is voluntary. That can present a particular challenge. If response rates continue to fall, we will have difficulty in providing data. The only place where there is a requirement on individuals to comply with our request is the census of population. It is a legal requirement on every individual in the State. That is the only case where an individual person is legally required to engage with our household surveys and personnel.