Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)

I thank the Minister of State for his comprehensive reply. He said there will be more than 5,000 enumerators and 440 field staff. There are many bright unemployed people so will he undertake that when people are being taken on to fill these positions, that will be taken into account? It is very important we give unemployed people every opportunity to get back into the workplace. This is a perfect opportunity for these people. From the time of the preparatory work until the census results come out, how many people will be employed, including field staff, enumerators and those collating the information in the census?

Although I do not believe it will happen, if this Government lasts until 2012, will the results of the census have any effect on constituency boundary changes made since 2007? From speaking to people throughout the country, the constituency boundaries are out of sync with population figures. Will the Minister of State comment on that? Did the Minister of State have an analysis done of what this will cost the taxpayer? When replying I ask the Minister to refer to the unemployed people who will be taken on to work on the census.

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