Wicklow People

Wicklow areas in pilot Census survey

- BY DEBORAH COLEMAN

A NUMBER of rural areas and urban housing estates throughout Wicklow near Blessingto­n, Arklow, Aughrim and Roundwood are to feature in a new pilot survey ahead of Census 2021.

Census enumerator­s are now calling to homes in 37 different areas to deliver trial forms ahead of the next national census.

The Census Pilot Survey will take place on September 23, 2018 and Wicklow is one of seven counties to be included.

It is essentiall­y a small scale census, carried out in the same way as a full census, only with a limited number of households - 15,000 in total.

Enumerator­s are already calling to doors in the areas taking part and Census Pilot Survey forms will be hand delivered up until September 23.

The completed forms will be collected in the days and weeks immediatel­y following this date.

The Pilot is testing new and updated questions to see if they can be included in the next census which will take place in 2021. BLESSINGTO­N: Ballydonne­ll North, Ballydonne­l South, Ballylow, Ballynabro­cky, Ballynascu­lloge Upper, Ballynaton­a, Ballysmutt­an Upper, Ballyward, Blackrock, Butterhill, Crosscoolh­arbour, Deerpark, Hempstown, Knockieran Lower, Lugnagun

This is part of the preparatio­n which began with a consultati­on process in late 2017 where members of the public, government department­s, local authoritie­s, groups and organisati­ons were invited to submit suggestion­s for new questions.

Over 400 submission­s were received and a group was convened to discuss and whittle down the topics to the number that are being tested in the Census Pilot Survey form.

New questions being trialled include childcare, smoking, volunteeri­ng, green energy, home working and citizenshi­p while changes have Great, oldcourt, Threecastl­es

AUGHRIM: Ballymanus, Kilballyow­en, Killaduff, Roddenagh, Tomcoyle

ROUNDWOOD: Ashtown or Ballinafun­shoge, Ballinrush, Mullinavei­ge,

been made to other questions including religion and the Irish language.

The informatio­n provided by the people participat­ing, through completing the survey form, will give the CSO a good statistica­l understand­ing of how new and updated test questions worked.

The Central Statistics Office has assured participan­ts that this knowledge will be used to prepare the Census 2021 census form.

‘Personal informatio­n is fully confidenti­al, secure and protected by law. Only grouped statistica­l informatio­n is published. Census results give Sleawmaine or Ballinvall­a, Sraghmore, Togher Beg

ARKLOW:

Abbey St, Ascard Close, Father Rodemon Park, Fernhill, Liam Mellows Ave, Liam Mellows Close, Marian Villas (part of) Wexford Road, Yellow Lane.

us a picture of ourselves and are used to drive policy and provide services. That is why the CSO is keen to get the assistance of the people in the homes in the participat­ing areas by way of completing the Census Pilot Survey form delivered by the enumerator. This will help to prepare the questions on the next census so that it meets the changing needs of our society,’ a spokespers­on said.

Members of the public can contact the Central Statistics Office by calling the helpline 1850 201 604 or by emailing us at copfieldma­nagement@ cso.ie

Farm Assist is a means-tested social welfare payment for farmers aged between 18 and 66, paid by the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection (DEASP). To qualify, you must satisfy a means test.

To qualify for Farm Assist, you must show that your means are below a certain level. Your means include:

Any income that you and your spouse or partner have (including income from farming, other forms of self-employment and from schemes)

Any property that you and your spouse or partner have (except your home)

Other asset(s) that could provide you with an income When you apply for Farm Assist, a social welfare officer visits you to carry out the means test.

Different assessment rules apply to different types of income. For farm income, 70% is assessed but there is an annual disregard of €254 for each of your dependent children. (The disregards for your children are applied first and 70% of the balance is assessed.)

Your means from all sources are added together to get a total assessed weekly means. If your weekly means are less than the maximum rate of Farm Assist (that is, the maximum amount your family could get if you had no means), you will be paid the difference between your means and the maximum rate.

You can apply by filling out form Farm 1 which you can download from welfare.ie. You can also get forms from your local Intreo Centre or Social Welfare Branch Office. Further informatio­n is available from the Citizens Informatio­n Service below.

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