Mr. Pádraig Dalton:

We fully accept that the Central Statistics Office can play a role in producing statistical data to inform decision makers on this important issue. The question is how to do this and whether we should go down the route of conducting an expensive survey to collect the information directly from the relevant entities, which would only be used for statistical purposes, or whether we should take a more holistic approach and develop a more comprehensive data source that would go beyond the pure statistical requirements and meet the requirements of regulation and administration. The second option would allow the CSO to access a centralised database of information collected for a multitude of purposes beyond statistical purposes. We could then compile the aggregate statistical analysis from this data source. That is the only issue and the CSO is awaiting the outcome of the work of the group.