Census posts will be open to all, says FF

THERE WOULD an “open and fair competition” for the enumerator posts for next year’s national census, Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach John Curran told the Dáil.

He said the census would take place on Sunday, April 10th.

Mr Curran was pressed by Opposition TDs to ensure that unemployed people were given the jobs.

Labour’s Emmet Stagg said many of those employed previously had hefty pensions.

“I doubt it is illegal to exclude certain people and am sure the Minister of State can exclude whoever he likes,” Mr Stagg added.

He said a special effort should be made to ensure that the jobs went to some of the 450,000 unemployed people in the State.

Mr Curran said positions were open to anybody who met the qualifications and were deemed suitable, regardless of whether they were in employment, unemployed or whatever. He said people were not precluded from applying for the job.

“That said, I would like to reiterate that the positions are being actively advertised with Fás,” he added.