Susan O'Keeffe (Labour)

I join colleagues in welcoming the Minister of State to the House. I echo Senator Barrett's sentiments about the model of excellence that is the CSO. For years it has worked tirelessly and without enormous recognition for what it does. In many ways statistics are like the glue and we do not think of that; if we did not have statistics we would rapidly fall apart.

I will concentrate on specific examples. I went on a tour of the websites of statistics offices in other countries, and specifically the Office for National Statistics in the UK. It had a figure for the deaths of elderly people attributable to the winter but I could not find the same figure in the Irish context, although I may not have been looking in the right place. Between 2009 and 2010, 25,400 elderly people in the UK died in the winter due to the conditions, and we can see in that one figure how straight away one could start arming doctors, hospitals and social services. With one vital piece of information policy can be built, which is what is being discussed, and this would take into account issues such as winter fuel payments and flu vaccine stocks. Without even discussing it further, the great reach of the figure is enormous.

There is no argument and everybody understands and agrees with this process; everybody knows that with statistics we can build public policy. The Minister of State has given a great explanation of what is happening behind the scenes and I am heartened to hear that. A complete industry is now building around statistics and analysis, and statisticians may become household names in future in the way that economists, unfortunately, have become household names and the new commentators in modern Ireland.

The Minister of State and we as Senators acknowledge that in the Irish context we have a way to go and the work is very much in progress. It is good to hear that Departments will now build their own statistical units and enhance the statistical base. That is supported by European requirements. One may consider the Bureau of Economic Analysis in the US in this regard, which does exactly what it says on the tin, offering an array of statistics and analysis relating to trade, tourism, income and spending that are in some ways unimaginable. The figures are analysed to give an enormous amount of data.

Many bodies in Ireland offer statistical information, including Forfás, the ESRI and the Western Development Commission, all slowly feeding into what is becoming a more evidence-based policy decision making process. This is at the heart of the matter, as policy makers and politicians will become more informed, or at least have no excuse if they are not. Statistics are one of the strongest weapons against clientelism, favouritism and political strokes. If that is at the heart of what we are investing in, it is a strong reason to concentrate on the value of statistics.

As the industry becomes more refined and targeted, informed decisions must be taken to decide what information must be gathered, how often and in what ways it can be employed. There should also be consideration of how to be more economical in gathering information. We know people do not like filling in forms and providing small detail, and constantly we hear that gardaí, teachers, paramedics and doctors deal with endless paperwork. In such cases paperwork is the provision of data that can be useful. It is good to hear from the Minister of State that the burden, particularly on business, is being reduced. Perhaps it is up to us to find ways to find another label for paperwork and understand it as statistical information that is of benefit to the community in a wider context. We have never done this and I do not know where the responsibility lies; it may not be with the CSO. It could be up to us to stop it being called paperwork and remaining a tedious task.

Technology and the development of appropriate software for analysing data has a significant role to play in this area. I trust that in the building of further statistical bases in the country, the most appropriate and cost-efficient software will be used to support and encourage the work. We should not find ourselves in the midst of an argument down the road because software suites in different Departments cannot communicate with each other. I know the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Joan Burton, has spoken about some of the difficulties in her Department relating to gathering data and various parts of the organisation where the computer systems cannot speak to each other. It would be unfortunate if that happened when the Minister of State is driving an initiative to make more statistics available.

Statistics can also have a dark side when we have information but do not act on it. Every day figures are introduced to support an argument and in this House we regularly hear all kinds of statistics relating to banks, social welfare, housing, agriculture and so on. I take this opportunity to provide an example of how we might not translate statistical information correctly.

I will move shamelessly to consider the north west, a part of the country, it could be argued, where it has been found to be harder than anywhere else for statistical information and evidence to break through into policy. The Look West programme encouraged people to move to or to move back to the west to repopulate it and to create a more energetic society, yet that was not accompanied by good policy on, say, public transport. There is no railway line there. From Galway travelling north on the west coast there is no rail line and there is none from Dublin to Donegal. The map I am displaying is clear evidence of the large hole that is the north west. There are tremendous roads, all of which have been built using statistical information, which demonstrates public policy.