Press Statement

Preasráiteas

22 April 2022

Do you like spending time outdoors? Do you have green fingers? Are you involved in the protection of the environment and biodiversity? Whether it’s those few minutes you take to relax in your garden, taking a walk or going sea swimming, tell us about the importance that nature and the outdoors has in your life.

The newest Central Statistics Office (CSO) Pulse Survey, ‘Our Lives Outdoors’, launched today (22 April 2022) explores the relationships that people have with the myriad of green and blue spaces in Ireland and how we use them.

This CSO Pulse Survey goes live today from 11am across our social media channels and on our website. It is open to everyone aged 18 years and over living in Ireland. CSO Pulse Surveys are short and frequent online surveys which take the ‘pulse’ of the nation about a particular topic at a particular point in time. They usually ask opinion-type questions or seek to gauge the public’s attitude to certain events or issues. They help the CSO to provide data that are relevant and timely.

Commenting on the release, Sylvie Clappe, Statistician in the Ecosystem Accounts Division, said:

“Our connection to nature and the outdoors can impact on our general health and well-being, something we have all become more aware of during the pandemic. This survey is an opportunity for the CSO, as the national statistics agency, to assess how people in Ireland use and experience the natural and outdoor spaces that surround them.

Everyone’s experience has its place in this survey. Our questionnaire can be divided into three main sections which should help us measure your interaction with nature and the outdoors no matter how big or small that may be. Even if you only have access to a small balcony or a garden, the survey asks how you use those spaces and what you grow there. Other questions cover how much time you spend in nature and the outdoors and what activities you enjoy doing outside. We also ask how your relationship with nature has changed since the pandemic, especially if you have changed your behaviours to protect the environment."

Head of Division – Social Section, Fiona O’Riordan, commented:

“The CSO wants to make it easier for people to engage with us. The CSO conducts household surveys all year round on topics such as health, travel, crime and well-being which help inform the public and policy makers.

However, these online CSO Pulse Surveys allow people to voluntarily take part in surveys and gives us a better understanding of how people feel about issues that affect all our lives. We want your story to become part of the story – the story of Ireland.”

As with all CSO surveys, any information provided to us is confidential. The CSO will never share your information with another company, business or Government Department or body. We only use the data you provide for statistical purposes and the information is aggregated so no one is identifiable from the data provided.

The CSO collects data about many aspects of Irish people’s lives to provide information for government, other agencies, businesses and communities to help them make informed decisions, allocate resources and plan for the future. This is an opportunity for people to take part and make their story count. The CSO will publish the results of our CSO Pulse Survey 'Our Lives Outdoors' later in May. For further information about the CSO Take Part Campaign, and our approach to CSO Pulse Surveys, please see the FAQ.

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