On September 21st, 2023, the Central Statistics Office (CSO) launched their interactive map drawing on the data collected through Census 2022. This map covers ‘small areas’ including:
- Local Authorities (County Councils)
- Electoral Divisions
- Limistéir Pleanála Teanga
- Local Electoral Areas (2022)
- Regional Authorities (NUTS 3)
- Provinces
- Towns
Anyone using the map can explore their local area, or area they are working in, to find out for example: how many people are living in their area; how people commute; their sex, age or marital status; their ethnicity or religion; number of families, private households, types of housing; how many people are volunteering; engaged in education; whether people have a disability or are carers; how many people have access to the internet or a motor car.
Of particular interest to the INOU is the data captured under the headings principal status; social class and socio-economic group; people’s occupations or the industries in their area. Some of this information is captured through the quarterly Labour Force Survey, but not at the level of local detail that is collated from the Census data.
Under principal status the person using the map can find out how many people in their area are: at work; retired; a student; looking after the home/family; unable to work due to permanent sickness or disability; long-term unemployed; short-term unemployed; other; or looking for their first regular job.
It is important to note that Principal status or Principal Economic Status is how people identify themselves. While the official unemployment figures come from how many people met the criteria of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) definition of unemployment, which is used in the Labour Force Survey (LFS). So, in the LFS the unemployed are “Persons who, in the week before the survey, were without work and available for work within the next two weeks, and had taken specific steps, in the preceding four weeks, to find work.”
On November 30th, 2023, the Central Statistics Office (CSO) will publish Profile 7 of the Census 2022 data which will cover Employment, Occupations, and Commuting. Information on the material the CSO has published so far on Census 2022 is linked here.
If you wish to go straight to the interactive map, it is linked here.