Census provides basis for crucial decisions to be taken in future

As you read this, 5,000 Census enumerators are knocking on doors all over Ireland delivering census forms. A total of 165 of these enumerators are based in Meath and will be visiting every home, making sure that each has a Census form and that the householder is happy they know how to fill it out. The Census of Population, to give it its proper title, takes place every five years and the next one will take place on Sunday 10th April. This is a very important time for Ireland. As a society, we are faced now with making crucial decisions about our future and it is imperative that we have accurate and objective information on which to base those decisions. The Census is the most comprehensive and valuable of these information sources. The Census will give a comprehensive picture of the social and living conditions of our people in 2011. Only a census can provide such complete detail right down to the smallest area and the results are an essential tool for effective policy, planning and decision-making purposes. It provides the knowledge so that public resources can be shared evenly across the country and to ensure that services at local level are relevant to all the people who live there. As well as collecting information on the age and sex of the population, a range of different questions relating to households and individuals are also asked such as where and what people work at, how people travel to work, school and college, languages spoken, disabilities, families, housing and lots more. And, as anyone who has searched their family records in the 1901 and 1911 Censuses on the National Archives website will know, the Census records who we are as a nation, our history and culture, leaving an historical legacy for generations to come. It should take an average household approximately 30 minutes to complete the Census form. Census enumerators will call to collect the completed forms in the three to four weeks after Census night. All Census enumerators will be wearing clearly-marked reflective jackets and will be carrying ID. The main household Census form caters for up to six persons present in the household on Census night. If there are more than six people present in your household on Census night, your enumerator will provide you with additional forms. Everyone is counted, wherever they happen to be on Census night. So, if you are staying away from home on Census night, you must complete the census form wherever you stay on that night. There are 30 questions on the form which must be answered in respect of each adult who is present in the household and slightly fewer for children under 15 years of age. In addition, there are 11 household questions which the householder must answer relating to the household's accommodation. The household form also seeks limited information about persons who were temporarily away from the household on Census night - for example, if they were staying away from home on that night. The Census information is strictly confidential and will be used for statistical purposes only - this is guaranteed by law. No other government department or agency has access to the identifiable information relating to individuals or households collected in the Census. The need for confidentiality is stressed in the training of Census field staff and all are made fully aware of their legal obligations in this respect. We in the Central Statistics Office are justifiably proud of our unblemished record in the treatment of confidential data, and it is one of our top priorities to maintain this record! A step-by-step guide to completing the Census form has been developed in association with the National Adult Literacy Agency (NALA) and is available to see in your local library, Citizens' Information Centre and on the census website at www.census.ie Other resources which are available to assist people with filling out the census form include large print, Braille and audio versions of the Census form. For those whose first language is not English, a translation of the form is available in the following 21 languages: Arabic, Bulgarian, Chinese, Czech, Estonian, French, German, Hindi, Hungarian, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Slovak, Spanish, Swahili, Urdu and Yoruba. All of these resources and much more information about the Census are available on the Census website at www.census.ie. And, of course, Census enumerators will be happy to assist with answering any questions when they call to deliver and collect the form. The Census is the Central Statistic Office's largest statistical operation. It is also the most exacting since the fieldwork must be completed over a short nine-week period and a complete count of the population must be obtained on Census night, 10th April. The full co-operation of the public, which has always been the strong point of Irish censuses, is essential in this regard. We also rely heavily on the skill and dedication of our 5,500-strong temporary field force to carry this task through to a successful conclusion I would urge everyone in Meath to fill in their Census form on Census night. By participating in the Census, you are giving us the information we need now to understand what Ireland needs for the future.