Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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Question 904: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if figures released by the Central Statistics Office in July 2006 via the Census 2006 Preliminary Report will be used by his Department for any reason; if so, what the figures will be used for; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29306/06]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The Department of Foreign Affairs makes extensive use of CSO statistics, particularly in its efforts to disseminate accurate and up-to-date information about Ireland abroad.

The statistical information contained in the Census 2006 Preliminary Report is useful in this respect. It shows, for example, that the population of the State reached its highest recorded census level since 1861 and that our rate of population growth over the past 10 years is the highest in the EU.

However, having regard to the role and core responsibilities of the Department, the figures in the Census 2006 Preliminary Report do not have direct consequences for the Department's operations.