Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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77. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation further to the publication of the census of population, the consideration which is given to the detail contained in the census in terms of policy response by her Department; the way in which it is used; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31403/17]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The Census of Population is an important input to evidence-based policy analysis and advice in my Department, as it is across Government. My central focus is on ensuring we create the best environment to secure sustainable full employment and to deliver on the Programme for a Partnership Government commitment to support an additional 200,000 at work by 2020. The Census data complements other essential CSO datasets relating to the labour market development in particular and the data collected by my own Department through its surveys of enterprises. These surveys include my Department's Annual Employment Survey and Annual Business Survey of Economic Impact of enterprises supported by Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland, and the Higher Education R&D (HERD) survey and the Annual Science Budget.

Over the coming months the Census data will form an input to the review of Enterprise 2025 currently underway in my Department. The Census will also be an important input to the development of the annual Action plan for Jobs, our monitoring of the Regional Action Plans for Jobs and an input to the work of the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs, to which my Department provides research and secretariat support. The Low Pay Commission also relies heavily on data produced by the CSO, including census data and reports, in making its annual recommendation on the national minimum wage and other related matters.