Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I hope I have a few minutes as there have been plenty of questions from everyone. There was a query on how census questions are selected. The census forms for use next year have been finalised and preparation of the census questions is a multi-year project involving public consultation, commencing in 2017. There was a broad census advisory group, comprising 21 persons from Departments, social partners, the Economic and Social Research Institute, the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission, academia, local government and a range of other people. The holding of a census pilot survey took place in 2018.

Following the completion of the pilot, the census advisory group convened to consider the findings and finalise the questions to be concluded in census 2021.

Questions were asked about the potential inclusion of additional questions in the survey. As I said, the Central Statistics Office convened the group in 2017. It included a broad range of partners from across society and dictated the questions set. Any feedback on the current questions can be taken into account for the following census.

Questions were also asked about when the census results will be available. Preliminary results will be available in mid-2022 and definitive results will be made available on a phased basis from April to December 2023.

Deputy Kelly asked about the constituency boundary report. It is expected that the delay of one year will result in a similar delay to the report of the next constituency commission. The establishment of a commission is, however, a matter for the Oireachtas. The most recent constituency commission was established on 14 July 2016 following the publication of preliminary results of the census of population. The commission is required to present its report not later than three months after the publication by the CSO of the final result of the 2016 census.

With regard to how the postponement will affect next year, Covid-19 has impacted the CSO statistical work programme during the last year. More than 900 CSO staff moved from CSO offices to work from their homes. The single largest casualty by scale was the postponement of the census of population from 2021 to 2022.

Deputy Ó Broin asked about the progress being made on the development of the sexual violence survey. The Central Statistics Office agreed to a request by the Minister for Justice at the end of 2018 to oversee the development and delivery of a significant new national survey on the prevalence of sexual violence in Ireland. Given the complexity and sensitivity of the survey, it was envisaged that the entire process of scoping, planning, executing and reporting the survey would take in the region of five years, with exact timings only emerging as the scoping progresses. The survey involves the collection of extremely sensitive personal data from householders in a manner that is confidential and ethical, and which is designed to support accurate and reliable survey results. The protection of privacy and support for the needs of all householders and CSO staff involved is a priority. Strong project governance and oversight mechanisms have been established, internally within the CSO and externally with the Department of Justice and the stakeholder community, and this supports the project. Expertise is being built by engaging with the international experts in the field and other national statistical institutes. Expertise continues to be built through working with national experts, including in academia, policy development, personnel and service provision.

There has been excellent engagement from the stakeholder community, including NGOs such as Rape Crisis Network Ireland and Government agencies. Agreement was reached on the various areas to be tested on the pilot stage. These areas were translated into the questionnaire for the pilot. The pilot objectives and design have been outlined. Given the complexities and particular sensitivities in this survey, a pilot survey is important to learn lessons for the eventual main study. The pilot was scheduled to go into the field in July 2020, which was earlier than first estimated in 2019. However, the CSO household survey operations changed with the impact of Covid-19, with all face-to-face interviews cancelled. How the survey is delivered is important, not only for data quality but also for respondent and interviewer safety. Consequently, the pilot was postponed to April 2021. After a redesign, a pilot was agreed and fieldwork has now been completed. Findings from the pilot, including implications for the main survey, should be available in the third quarter of 2021. Pending the findings, it is still intended at this stage that the survey results will be available as per the original timeframe in 2023.

Deputy Devlin and others raised the issue of the 1926 forms. The censuses of population held between 1926 and 1991, inclusive, were carried out under the Statistics Act 1926, which does not permit release of any census records at any time. The Statistics Act 1993, however, repealed the 1926 and 1946 Acts and provided for the release of sensitive forms for these censuses 100 years after the date of the relevant census. The retrospective introduction of the 100 years' exemption was seen by some as undermining the original guarantee of confidentiality given to householders. It was generally accepted, however, that 100 years was a reasonable compromise in all the circumstances, including having regard to increased life expectancy.

I have tried to respond to most of the questions. I thank Members for their contributions.

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