asked the Minister for Economic Planning and Development the data, which otherwise are unavailable and of importance for the purposes of economic planning, he expects to get from the limited census proposed for 1979.

As a Census of Population has not been taken since 1971, the required data for planning purposes is being largely derived from the EEC Labour Force Surveys. Two of these have already been conducted, the first in 1975 and the second in 1977.

A further Labour Force Survey will be held in association with the 1979 limited census. As a result it will be possible to compile estimates of various classifications of the labour force at regional level linked directly to current population levels.

The information derived from the 1979 Census and associated Labour Force Survey will be used for planning purposes until the results of the full 1981 Census of Population become available.

Question No. 22.

Just a moment, if I may?

The Deputy may.

Would the Minister tell the House, because he anticipatingly adverted to Question No. 21 when answering Question No. 16, what feature or question in the 1979 limited census will enable him to gauge the rate of emigration? The Minister said when answering Question No. 16 that this would become available through the 1979 census.

Yes. Once we have an accurate headcount by sex and age it can be related to data on births and deaths and we can get an accurate estimate of emigration.

Question No. 22.

Just a moment. Is the Minister saying that the emigration trend which is apparently now restarting will become visible to him in figures by subtracting from the total population, the net difference between the birth rate and the death rate? Is it as simple as that?

If we know the number of people born and the number of people who have died, we know the number of people who ought to be there. If we then take a headcount and find out how many are actually there, the difference between the two tells us how many have moved out.

It will give the difference between now and the last time there was a census. It will not give the emigration figures.

The Minister said that the figure could be arrived at by taking the number of people born and the number of people who have died, but people are coming into and leaving the country all the time. How does the Minister count the number of people coming and going?

I can only measure the net emigration. It is very difficult to establish gross migration flows. The only way that that can be done is by carrying out various kinds of sample surveys.

Would the Minister's Department guess that there has been an increase in the net outflow of people?

The remaining questions will appear on next Tuesday's Order Paper.

Will the remaining answers appear next Tuesday?

Would the Minister answer that question?

I may not be available next week so I would like to postpone questions or get somebody else to answer them.

Would the Minister tell us——

Question Time has finished.

Will his substitute tell us where he will be on Tuesday next?

I shall be in the United States.

For St. Patrick's Day.

Deputy Quinn to resume on the Estimate for the Environment.

I only hope the Minister for the Environment will build houses more quickly than the Minister for Economic Planning and Development can answer questions because, if he maintains the same rate of progress, I would not like to be on the housing list under his authority or, indeed, in County Clare.

Order. Question Time is over.