Mr. Pádraig Dalton:

It is our standard practice to produce regional breakdowns of data. In some cases, it is not always possible to produce regional breakdowns, in particular where statistics are based on a sample survey. I do not want to get too technical, but sometimes at county level the sample size is too small to be able to produce reliable and consistent data over time. One could see a change, period-on-period, for example, for any particular county. The change may not be an underlying change.

It could be down to the fact that the sample is too small. Therefore, whereas to the greatest extent possible we will always produce regional data, in some cases we will not be able to do so. The best source is the census of population, through which we produce the small area population statistics. I do not know whether any members have had the time to look at the preliminary census results we published earlier this year. We were able to produce details on vacant houses and vacancy rates down to electoral division level, so it is possible to go into an interactive map, click on any electoral division and be given the number of vacant houses.

A key part of our strategy is to try to build information from the bottom up, that is, collected at the most granular level of detail which, for us, is the Eircode postcode. The Eircode postcode is absolutely essential to our ability to compile and provide information and evidence to policymakers or decision makers at the smallest level of detail possible or appropriate. Vacancy rates are a prime example. It is very useful for policymakers to be able not just to talk about vacancy rates at county level, but also down to small area level. This supports potentially targeted policy interventions, as distinct from broad brushstroke interventions, into the future. Targeted policy interventions are obviously more cost-effective, and outcomes can be more effective-----