Historical Perspective

Irish statistics have a long history (Word 388KB). They commenced in the first half of the nineteenth century, for example:

• comprehensive decennial Censuses of Population from 1841;
• annual Censuses of Agriculture from 1849;
• marriage statistics from 1845;
• birth and death statistics from 1864.

Following the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922 a Statistics Branch was set up in the new Department of Industry and Commerce through the amalgamation of the:

• Statistics and Intelligence Branch which existed since 1900 in the former Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction of Ireland;
• Statistics and Information Branch (established in 1919) of the Irish Department of the Ministry of Labour in London.

This Statistics Branch was responsible for the compilation of the bulk of Irish official statistics up to June 1949 when it was transferred to form the Central Statistics Office (CSO) as a separate office. The new Office was located in the Department of the Taoiseach (Prime Minister) (links to the Department of the Taoiseach website) to ensure that the statistical service was independent.

The Irish statistical system has been headed since the foundation of the State by: