Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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608. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the policy response which occurs further to the publication of the census of population; the section or sections of her Department involved; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31407/17]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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My Department is highly committed to evidence-based policymaking. To inform our policy and operations across all our business areas, we make extensive use of this full range of Irish and European official statistics, including the Census of Population. Alongside this, we regularly conduct research surveys (see www.welfare.ie/en/surveys) and make analytical use of our own detailed administrative data sources.

The Census is a cornerstone of the national statistical system. It is important not only as a point-in-time five-yearly snapshot but also as a key reference point for statistics based on surveys such as the Quarterly National Household Survey, Survey on Income and Living Conditions, and Earnings Hours and Employment Costs Survey. Together, these statistics ensure that we have access to high-quality policy-relevant information not just when each Census is published but at all times in between.

As such, there is not a specific ‘policy response which occurs further to the publication of the census of population’ – rather, it informs all the policy priorities of my Department, together with the wider statistical system of which the Census forms part.