Two million census forms to be delivered
More than 15,000 people who said they were available to work 25 hours a week applied for the job and all were interviewed by senior supervisors recruited previously.
Assistant director of the Central Statistics Office, Aidan Punch, said more than 600 people who joined the 5,500-strong temporary field force came directly off the Live Register.
Mr Punch said the enumerators would be paid about €2,200 for a 10-week period.
Enumerators have been told to knock on every door in their designated area and make human contact before delivering the census form.
Every household in Ireland should receive their Census 2011 form over the next three to four weeks and by law they must be filled out by everyone in the household on census night — Sunday, April 10.
The enumerator has been told to get a mobile telephone number from the person they speak to and present their own business card.
“There is a legal requirement on householders to fill out this form but we won’t be threatening anybody,” said Mr Punch.
The Census is covered by the 1993 Statistics Act and the Statistics (Census of Population) Order 2010 and fines up to €25,000 can be imposed.
“If a person goes out of his or her way to deliberately flout the law and say I am not going to participate, we will pursue them in court if we have to,” he said.
Mr Punch said a “handful” of people have been prosecuted. “It is so difficult to get prosecutions but we are not afraid to go after people.”
For the first time people will be asked to assess their health under five categories.
The carers’ question has been changed slightly to take account of all ages, not just children over the age of 15.
There are 30 individual questions on the form and 11 questions related to the household. It should take every household about 30 minutes to complete.
CENSUS 2011 will be the 24th census, with the first conducted in 1841.
Preliminary results are available three months after the census and principal demographic results will be available within a year.
For those whose first language is not English, a translation of the census form is available in 21 languages. There are large print, Braille and audio versions of the form.
Census enumerators will call to collect the completed forms in the three to four weeks after census night
All enumerators will be wearing clearly marked reflective jackets and will carry identification.
The census information is strictly confidential and will be used for statistical purposes only. This is guaranteed by law.
The CSO said it was proud of its unblemished record in the treatment of confidential data.
Here are the new and modified questions to be answered:
- How is your health in general?
- Do you speak a language other than English or Irish at home and how well do you speak English?
- Do you provide regular unpaid personal help for a friend or family member with a long-term illness health problem or disability?
