Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 13 December 2023
1. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Taoiseach if the Central Statistics Office is correct to report in its Census 2022 analysis that there are 3441 legally defined Electoral Divisions in the State, an increase from the 3440 Electoral Divisions reported in its Census 2016 analysis; if so, the reason for the increase, and where the additional Electoral Division is located. [55698/23]
View answerThere are 3,440 Official Electoral Divisions (EDs) in the State. However, one ED, St. Mary's, straddles the Louth-Meath county border, and was presented in two parts in the 2016 Census publications split along the county border which resulted in 3,441 EDs. This was done to ensure the additivity of Electoral Divisions within county boundaries. The CSO will make the necessary amendments to clarify the official position where appropriate.
Following the growth in the population between 2016 and 2022, the CSO amended some ED boundaries to ensure that they were suitable for use in statistical data reporting and the maintenance of respondent confidentiality. This resulted in the amalgamation of some EDs and the splitting of others. The alteration of the Cork City and Cork County boundaries under the Local Government Act 2019 also necessitated a redrawing of ED boundaries within Cork to ensure all EDs in the county were suitable for use with Census 2022 data. The result of these adjustments was that 3,420 EDs have been used to publish the detailed results of Census 2022.
