Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank all 18 Members who raised issues on the Order of Business. Senator Ardagh raised the CSO figures. I think we addressed this topic yesterday but it is important to understand that concern has been expressed regarding the CSO figures on growth and how they have been compiled. The CSO has accepted that there might be a need to look at how it measures and presents them. The fundamental underlying point is that as a country, we are beginning to emerge into a better space. Employment is increasing, unemployment is on the way down and there are more people back at work. Consumer spending is increasing and there is a feel-good factor in the economy. The Taoiseach and the Ministers for Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform have said that the Government will not use the figures presented yesterday for the budgetary forecast and the budget preparations. It is important that we are sensible. We all agree about that the figures need to reflect the real situation rather than a transient or one-off situation. Senator Conway-Walsh also asked yesterday for this issue to be discussed.

Senators Ardagh, Wilson, Reilly, Horkan and Lombard raised the CSO census figures this morning. I congratulate the CSO on its presentation this morning and thank it for the timely publication of the preliminary census figures. The figures show that there are 4,757,976 persons in the country. This is an increase of 3.7% since 2011. Members rightly referred to the boundary commission, which is to be established subsequent to the publication of today's figures. This presents an opportunity for Government to reflect upon the population and public representatives. I hope the boundary review commission will be given sensible terms of reference and that the commission will be equally sensible in the presentation of its findings. Senator Reilly spoke about gerrymandering, which is sometimes the wrong word. What we saw last time with regard to members of the commission was a mismatch of everything. Many in this House were affected but we will not go into that row again. I hope we have a boundary review commission, an increase in the numbers of people in the Dáil and boundaries reflective of communities and county boundaries. I thank Senators Wilson and Reilly for raising the issue of Cavan. As somebody who was affected the last time, I hope the issue of Cork will be addressed as well.