asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he is now in a position to state when the preliminary report on the census taken in May, 1946, will be available to the public; and the reasons for the further delay in the publication of this report.

asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state the population of Éire, as disclosed by the census taken in April, 1946; and also when the report on this census will be circulated.

I propose to take questions Nos. 16 and 17 together. The preliminary report of the Census of Population taken in May, 1946, has now been printed and will be presented to the Dáil and Seanad shortly. I consider that the report should be presented before the figures are released for publication. The reasons for the delay in publication were given in reply to a question on the 4th December last.