Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Well over a month ago, I indicated publicly that in the interim period while no Government is in place, the Opposition will play a constructive role in helping the caretaker Government to process anything through the Dáil that needs to be processed in the national interest. We have the first such decision today. Up to now, we have had several debates without votes. Those debates will continue today and into next week.

However, this is a matter that requires Dáil approval. I am happy to say at the start of this debate that Fianna Fáil will fully support the Estimate before the House because we know it is needed and should be provided for. It relates to the need for the enumerators of the census that was taken last Sunday night to be paid for their work. The substantial costs involved will fall to be paid in May and June. A great deal of work was done last year in preparation for the census. Those costs would have been taken care of prior to this. As the Minister of State has pointed out, there is a level of additional expenditure beyond which Dáil sanction is required. The Estimate for the current year must be approved to enable payments of more than 80% of the previous year's payments to be made. We are here today to give Dáil approval to the CSO Estimate for 2016. Estimates are required in respect of more than 40 Government agencies and Departments. This one has been singled out to be dealt with now because of the urgent need to ensure those who are carrying out census fieldwork can be paid by the end of June.

That brings me on to an interesting point. Given that there will be no requirement to make the payments I have mentioned until the end of June, in many cases, why is this Estimate before us today? I fear that senior people in the public service are concerned that a general election is imminent and a new Dáil might not be in place in time to pass this Estimate. This is the first indication that the permanent Government, as I like to call the Civil Service, is concerned about the possibility of an immediate election. If they do not have a fear of an immediate election - if they are satisfied that a Government is going to be in place in the next week or two - they would be confident that there will be ample time to pass this Estimate without a problem. I suggest we are dealing with it here today because civil servants are concerned about the possibility that the current political talks will not succeed in the next week or two. If the Dáil is dissolved and another election called without this Estimate being considered, it could not be passed until the new Dáil meets at the end of June or the beginning of July. We are now seeing tangible evidence that the Irish public service is genuinely concerned that we will not have a Government. That is why we are here today. I hope the fears of civil servants will be unfounded, we will have a new Government in the next week or two and everything will carry on smoothly. It is important to explain why we are dealing with this matter today.

We all got our census forms in recent weeks. I filled out our form at home last Sunday night. I would encourage everybody to do likewise. People should support the census by completing their forms fully and accurately as early as possible. I encourage all the enumerators and supervisors to get the information back so it can be processed as soon as possible.

I would like to put a question to the CSO staff through the Minister of State. He might not have an answer for it today. In so doing, I would like to put the CSO on formal notice that it will be brought before an Oireachtas committee in due course to discuss its operation. I do not know which committee will be dealing with these matters. The Minister of State might give us the total cost of the census. Some costs were incurred last year. There are costs to be incurred this year. Some processing costs will run into next year. Can the Minister of State give us a timescale for when we will have the provisional population figures? I do not mind if he does not have an answer to that question today. If he does have it, that is well and good. If not, maybe we will deal with the matter at an Oireachtas committee in due course. Does the CSO have any information on how many households are likely not to complete their census forms? I know there were some prosecutions the last time. I am guessing that at least 1% or 2% of people do not answer their doors, perhaps because the enumerators are unable to get past their electronic gates. Some houses might look a bit derelict. In some cases, people do not co-operate. Has there been any change in that pattern relative to previous occasions? Are there any groups in Irish society that are less willing than others to fill out their census forms? I think we all know that different groups have differing approaches. The Minister of State might outline his views on that.

I fully appreciate the need for a census. It is right that we have one every five years. We cannot plan our schools, hospitals, road networks or infrastructure without proper statistical information. Portlaoise and other towns will get new secondary schools in due course because of projected population increases. It is important to know about such increases because it allows for proper planning. I think everybody supports that. Politicians always have a keen eye on the census because it affects boundary changes. The Constitution provides that there should be one Member of the Dáil for every group of between 20,000 and 30,000 people in a given area. They do not have to be citizens or voters. That has to be taken into account when boundaries are being reviewed. The Minister of State might give us an indication in that regard although I know that electoral boundaries are the responsibility of the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government rather than the Minister of State. In light of what we have seen from the outgoing Minister in the last 48 hours, I hope we have a better-mannered Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government in the next Government.

See this speech in context