Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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Question 731: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if figures released by the Central Statistics Office in July 2006 via the Census 2006 Preliminary Report will be used by her Department for any reason; if so, what the figures will be used for; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29307/06]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The Census 2006 Preliminary Report was published by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) in July of this year just three months after the Census was taken on the night of 23rd April, 2006. This represents very timely access to the provisional results, and my Department uses this information for a wide variety of purposes to inform policy and planning and to evaluate population health.

It should be noted that Preliminary Census data are based on summaries returned by each of the 4,400 Census enumerators. These figures provide basic counts by sex and area of residence and are subject to revision. The full value of the Census will be realised when the final results by specific subject matter (e.g. age, marital status, occupation) begin to become available from April of 2007.

The principal value and use of the Preliminary Report is in indicating trends in both the growth of the population and key demographic characteristics since the last Census in 2002. In addition, the new estimated population data allows more accurate and updated calculation of rates and trends in causes of mortality, in health conditions and in health determinants which are essential for needs assessment and in targeting and prioritising health promotion campaigns.

It should be noted that my Department relies on a wide range of CSO census, survey and registration data in order to carry out its work. This includes, in particular, Vital Statistics registration data, Household Budget Survey (HBS) data, the new Survey of Income and Living Conditions (EUSILC), the Quarterly National Household Survey (QNHS) in addition to a range of financial and national accounts data produced by the CSO.