Kevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 1: To ask the Taoiseach if he will ask the Central Statistics Office to prepare as soon as is possible revised population projections for the next twenty years following on from census 2011, in view of the fact that the last projections date from December 2008 and the next projections are not due until 2013, and the current figures, crucial for long term strategic planning do not take into account the most recent census preliminary figures and the effect of the recession and return of emigration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38795/11]

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Population projections are prepared every 5 years following the publication of the census results. The most recent set of projections are based on the 2006 results and cover the period 2011 to 2041. All population projections are based on assumptions regarding future migration and fertility patterns. As population projections for Ireland are particularly sensitive to changes in migration, the 2006 based projections included a zero net migration assumption as an indicator of how our population would develop when immigration equals emigration.

The next set of projections will be based on the 2011 results. Processing of the 2011 Census forms is now nearing completion in the CSO's census processing centre in Swords and it is planned to publish the first definitive results of the census in March 2012, less than a year after Census day. Work on the Census 2011 based population projections will begin once these results are published. Specifically, after a process of consultation with a dedicated expert group (made up of representatives of central and local government, universities and research bodies, along with relevant CSO personnel) it is planned to begin work on these projections in the first half of next year with the aim of releasing population projections covering the period 2016 to 2046 before the end of 2012.