Michael Mullins (Fine Gael)

As today is 4 July, it is appropriate to send our good wishes to all our American friends and to welcome the many visitors from the United States who are in our country at present. I hope they have an enjoyable visit and spread the good news that our country is open for business and available for investment.

Earlier this morning, I attended an interesting briefing given by the library and research service in partnership with the Central Statistics Office. As a result of that, I ask the Leader to organise, in the next Seanad session, a full and comprehensive debate on the 2011 census results. They give interesting information that should be of interest to policy makers and politicians like ourselves who are shaping policy for the future.

Our population has risen by 8.2%, 348,000 people, since 2006 and by 30% since 1991, and the average age of our population has increased to 36.1 years. We have 136,000 elderly people living alone and 475,000 people living in rented accommodation, up 57% since 2006. Surprisingly, two thirds of households use public sewerage schemes, which seems a high number given the recent brouhaha about the septic tank charge. The labour force is growing at the rate of 1.1% per annum and unemployment in the 15 to 24 age bracket is 38%. There is some significant information there which we need to tease out to help us make important decisions for the future. I ask the Leader to consider having a debate on this matter in the next session of the Seanad.