Written answers

Tuesday, 19 April 2011

8:00 pm

Photo of Tommy BroughanTommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 51: To ask the Taoiseach his view on the anecdotal evidence that census enumerators are finding it difficult to access some housing and apartment complexes; if he is confident that all residents will be able to partake in census 2011 in view of the significant number of voters in Dublin North-East who were not registered to vote in the general election 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8047/11]

Photo of Paul KehoePaul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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5,344 field staff have been employed to conduct the field operation for the census, made up of 4,854 enumerators, 440 field supervisors and 50 senior managers. All enumerators have been instructed to deliver a census form in person to an adult person in each household in their designated area. Where nobody in the household can be contacted after three visits the enumerator is instructed to leave a calling card containing his/her mobile phone number.

Under the Statistics Act 1993 census field staff are entitled to gain access to all apartment complexes to perform their duties. To assist field staff in this task all Regional and Field Supervisors have been provided with a list of gated complexes in their area. Supervisors were directed to make contact with the relevant management companies to arrange access for their local enumerator by requesting in advance gate codes, key fobs and/or the contact names of security personnel. In difficult situations where no help was forthcoming supervisors were further instructed to, among other things, make contact with local Gardai, local fire or ambulance services or to seek out other contacts such as postal and other delivery personnel. Finally all field staff have been encouraged to use their initiative on the ground by making contact with residents, local taxi companies, fast food companies etc.

The CSO is confident that the steps outlined above will achieve the stated goal of the census which is 100 per cent enumeration. In the small number of situations where householders in gated complexes have had no contact from their enumerator they are encouraged to contact the census helpline, which has been extensively advertised both on the census.ie website and in the media. In these situations census HQ staff will take their details and pass them on to their local enumerator to ensure that the relevant contact is made.

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