CSO census figures - The times... they are a changing

THE changing face of Ireland’s social and economic fabric, reflected in the latest census figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO), provides fascinating insights into Irish life in the 21st century.

Ranging from ominous signs of a slowdown in the economy, to a huge surge in car usage, the results mirror an Ireland undergoing radical transformation.

Any lingering doubts of a downturn in the economy are dispelled by tell-tale statistics of a sharp fall in the number of planning permissions countrywide.