John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 4, inclusive, together.

The Government decided in July 2008 that a census of population will take place in 2011 and gave the CSO the green light to begin immediately the necessary preparatory work associated with the holding of the census. Part of the preparatory phase of all recent censuses in Ireland is to consult with users regarding the questions to be included on the census form. In this regard the CSO conducted a public consultation by inviting members of the public and various interest groups to make submissions on the topics to be covered, and on the outputs to be produced. A notice to this effect was published in the national press in September 2008 seeking submissions, and all Departments were contacted for their input.

A census advisory group was set up in autumn 2008 to consider the submissions received and to advise on the questions to be tested in a pilot survey planned to be carried out in April 2009. The census advisory group consisted of representatives of central and local government, the social partners, universities, research bodies and other users of census data along with relevant CSO personnel.

Over 90 submissions covering 31 topics were received in response to the public consultation. The pilot survey was held on Sunday, 19 April 2009. It covered 32 enumeration areas spread throughout the country and the sample consisted of 11,400 households. The main purpose of the pilot survey was to test public reaction to the wording of a number of new questions, and changes to existing questions. The CSO finalised its analysis of the results of the census pilot in October 2009 and, following a further meeting of the census advisory group, made recommendations to the Government.

Based on the recommendations from this group, the Government, at its meeting on 11 December 2009, agreed to the topics to be included in the questionnaire for the 2011 census. This list of topics is available on the CSO website, along with the report of the census pilot survey. The content and layout of the census form were subsequently finalised. The Government also decided that the next census will take place on Sunday, 10 April 2011. I am advised by the CSO that all of the 2 million census forms required to conduct the census have now been printed and are in storage ready for delivery to the field staff early next year.

The second phase of this consultation process, which focuses on the dissemination of the results of the census, was launched on 4 March 2010. This was conducted via the CSO website and through direct e-mail contact with over 400 interested parties. The census advisory group was reconvened on 26 April 2010 to assess the responses and the census 2011 dissemination strategy was subsequently published on the CSO website.

Two questions are included on the census form that deal with disability. The format and wording of these questions were agreed following consultation and testing and this process will again be implemented in deciding the content of future census questionnaires.

Preparations for the processing of the census returns are well advanced. Processing will involve the capture, coding and verification of approximately 1.7 million census forms over a six-month period between June and December 2011. Following an open competitive tender, the contract to design the processing system was awarded on 10 July 2009 to a UK company, CACI UK Limited, the same company retained to assist in the processing of the 2002 and 2006 censuses. The contract covers the printing of the census forms, which is now complete and was carried out by DCKebrook in Citywest, as well as the software and hardware solution for the processing of the information returned on them.

The recruitment of the required 5,500 field staff and 150 additional headquarter staff to conduct and process the census is now also well under way. The headquarter staff will be sourced through a mixture of redeployment of staff from elsewhere within the public sector and the creation where appropriate of some temporary clerical officer positions. The recruitment campaign began on 29 April with the advertisement of the 50 senior manager positions. The first of these staff were appointed on 27 September and will work for nine months from now until June of next year. The remaining 44 regional supervisors are due to take up duty on 19 October and these staff will also be employed until June 2010. The recruitment of the 440 field supervisors, who will be employed for six months on the census, has also begun. The applications closed on 24 September and they are due to be appointed in early January 2011. Some 5,000 enumerators positions will be advertised on the 29 December and they will be appointed for a ten-week period from 7 March to 13 May 2011. Applications for all posts are being accepted through an on-line application form on the CSO website and are being advertised in advance through FÁS on www.publicjobs.ie and in the national press.

I am happy to report that preparations for the 2011 census are progressing well and that with the full participation of the public at the time of the census, the results will be an important input into planning the future of this country.

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