Census of Population

Information

The Census of Population is a detailed count of every person living in the State on a particular date, including people who are not usually resident here.

It takes place every five years and is carried out by the Central Statistics Office (CSO). The 2011 census was taken on Sunday 10 April 2011. The previous census was in April 2006.

Under Sections 26 and 27 of the Statistics Act 1993 there is a legal obligation to complete the census form.

Reasons for holding a census

The Census of Population establishes the size of the population in the State. Up-to-date population statistics are essential to help to plan for services to meet demand for healthcare and education, for example. Detailed population figures at local level help to identify areas of high unemployment and deprivation as well as the likely demand for local services and facilities.

The census also helps to provide an accurate measure of net migration (the difference between inward and outward migration).

Article 16.2 of the Constitution lays down that the total membership of Dáil Éireann depends on the population as measured by the census (i.e. 1 TD per 20,000 to 30,000 persons). Constituency reviews normally take place once the definitive results of the census have been published.

How the census is run

A census form is delivered to every household and to every other type of location where people may be present on census night (for example, hotels, guesthouses, hospitals, ships). Everyone who is actually on the premises, including visitors, should be counted. When completing the form, you should also enter the details (on List 2) of anyone who usually lives there but is away on census night. If there will be nobody at all present on census night, the enumerator will give you a different form to sign.

The questionnaire includes such topics as age, marital status, sex, place of birth, principal economic status, occupation and industry, and housing characteristics.

All the information that you give on the census form is confidential. The CSO will only use it for statistical purposes. Your name and address will not be entered on any computer database, and no other organisation (including Government departments or agencies) can access information from the census that would identify a household or a person in any way.

Census 2011

The census was taken on Sunday 10 April 2011. Everyone who was in the State on census night must be included on a census form. Enumerators deliver forms to all households by census night and they call back to collect completed forms over the following couple of weeks.

On census day you should complete the form in respect of each person in your household (and anyone who is usually there but is away - on List 2) sign the declaration at the end of the form and keep it safe until your enumerator calls back to collect it. If nobody at all will be present on census night, ask your enumerator for Form E instead of the census form.

The enumerators all carry ID, which you can ask to see if you wish. If you have any queries about the census form, your enumerator can help. They can also help you if you have difficulty completing the form.

Further information about Census 2011 is available on the dedicated website www.census.ie.

The census form

You can view a sample copy of the census form on the Census 2011 website, www.census.ie. A list of the questions, together with detailed explanations, is available on the site. There is also a step-by step guide to the form, which is written in plain English.

There are two new questions in 2011. They ask for each person's knowledge of a language other than English or Irish, and each person's general health.

The form is available in English and Irish versions – ask your enumerator for whichever version you prefer.

The text of the form has been translated into over 20 foreign languages and background information on the census is available in these languages as well. However, the translated versions of the form are only provided for information purposes. The form must be completed in either English or Irish.

When anwering the questions, you should make a solid left-to-right mark with a blue or black pen, as shown on the front page of the form.

The form is also available in large print format, in Braille, cassette and CD versions – again, ask your enumerator for the version you want. You can also download the audio version of the form in 5 sections.

The large print, Braille and audio versions are provided for information purposes only. Your responses should be written on the paper form in the usual way.

Results of Census 2011

Preliminary results from Census 2011 are now available on the CSO's website. The total population was recorded as 4,581,269. This compared with 4,234,925 persons in April 2006, representing an increase of 341,421 persons (or 8.1%) in 5 years. The results were based on summaries returned by each of the 4,854 census enumerators. The full range of census results will be released gradually as soon as they are processed.