asked the Taoiseach the procedures employed in drafting and approving the questions in the 1981 census form.

The topics included in the 1981 census were decided by the Government on the basis of proposals put forward by the Central Statistics Office following consideration by an inter-departmental committee. The format of the questionnaire and actual details of the questions were determined by the Central Statistics Office in the light of their experience in previous censuses and at pilot tests held in 1977 and 1979.

I did not hear clearly the opening part of the reply of the Minister of State. Can he confirm that the form of the questions was drafted by the CSO and approved by his Department?

They were approved by the Government.

Can the Minister of State state if it was Government policy, on seeing the form of that question, particularly in relation to the definition of the various categories of marital status, specifically to exclude inclusion of the category, "separated"?

The Deputy should realise it is Government policy to get the information we want without too much prying.

I am very grateful for that particular advice. Can I take it from what the Minister of State has said that it is not Government policy to get information in relation to this sensitive area since he did not answer the questions?

We are getting the information we want.

Do the Government and the Minister for Justice want to find out what the statistical situation is in relation to the citizens in the State who would qualify for inclusion under the status of "separated" in our census? Do the Government want that statistical information?

We are getting the information we want of the legal status of people.

I can only take it, if I am hearing the Minister of State correctly, that the Government do not want this information.

That is the Deputy's assumption. The Deputy is welcome to that if he wants to take it that way.

These questions might be more appropriate on Question No. 6.