Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 53: To ask the Taoiseach if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the census protocols in place to respect prisoners' privacy were routinely set aside by the Irish Prison Service during the recent census; the steps he will take to ensure that in any future census all privacy protocols are fully complied with; and the further action he will take against those agencies which do not comply with them in the future. [20726/11]

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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1Following contacts with the Irish Penal Reform Trust in advance of the Census field operation, the Central Statistics Office in consultation with the Irish Prison Service agreed a policy to be put in place for the enumeration of prisoners. The policy, which was not legally binding, was devised to ensure, as far as was practicable given potential security concerns, that prisoners had the opportunity to complete their own census form in confidence.

The legal obligations applying to managers of communal establishments, such as prisons, were as set out in the Statistics (Census of Population) Order 2010. The CSO is satisfied that, with the co-operation of prisoners and the Irish Prison Service, a census form was completed in respect of every person who spent Census night in a prison and that the requirements of the Statistics (Census of Population) Order 2010 were observed.

The Office has received a written complaint from a prisoner in a particular prison regarding the enumeration of prisoners in that establishment on Census night. The Central Statistics Office is following up on this complaint with the Irish Prison Service.

Regarding plans for any future census, the CSO will again work with the relevant stakeholders to ensure that prisoners have the opportunity, insofar as possible, to complete their census return in confidence.