John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)

On the question of costs, I do not have the figures with me. However, the figure comprises the number of years involved in the preparation of the census and reflects the core staff to deliver the census and the subsequent analysis. The figure came about over a number of years, covering 2009 to 2011. I will try to get that for the Deputy as I do not have it to hand. In other words, it is not a single budget heading in one given year because of the way in which the preparatory work is done. The pilot alone cost approximately €250,000. It is not itemised as a one year expense. It is across a number of years and takes in the pilot, the preparation, the delivery of the census in 2011 and the ongoing analysis which will run through to the end of 2012. I will try to get a written answer on that for the Deputy.

On the staffing issue, not all the staff will be employed for the same period of time. Approximately 5,500 staff will be engaged in this process, in addition to the 150 who will be assigned to headquarters. Most of those would be a redeployment of the 150. The 5,500 breaks down roughly into the 50 senior manager positions, the first of which were appointed in September. Effectively, all of those will run up to June of next year. A total of 44 regional supervisors are due to be appointed. A total of 440 field supervisors will be employed on the census for the six month period and 50 will be employed for nine months. Most of the 440 field supervisor positions have been advertised and they will commence in January 2011 but the single biggest number is the 5,000 enumerators. Those positions will be advertised officially on 29 December and they will be appointed for a period of ten weeks from 7 March to 13 May 2011. That is the breakdown of the 5,500.

On the question about enumerators and those in receipt of social welfare, first and foremost the positions are open to anybody who meets the qualifications and are deemed suitable, regardless of whether they are in employment, unemployed or whatever may be their circumstances. They must be suitably qualified to deliver the task.

Regarding those in receipt of social welfare, it should be noted that each enumerator is required to deliver census forms to approximately 400 households and most of that work is carried out in the evening and at weekends. I am advised by the Central Statistics Office that because of the necessity to make personal contact with all householders, it is a requirement of the job that enumerators typically work five or six evenings a week and perhaps one day at the weekend. If that is the case, under social welfare rules they would not have an entitlement to claim jobseeker's allowance because effectively they would not be available for work. The experience of the staff and the advice I am getting from the CSO is that, typically, the enumerators must work four or five days a week because there is a need to make personal contact and some householders may not be at home on a Monday evening. The work required tends to be for most evenings of the week as well as one of the days of the weekend.

The other point the Deputy raised was in respect of the boundary review. My understanding is that it is on the publication of the final and full results of the CSO that the boundary review is done, not on the preliminary figures. The final figures from the CSO on this census are not due until the end of 2012.

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