FOSSIL FUELS REMAIN the most popular way to heat Irish homes with four out of five households using them in central heating systems.

Census 2011 found 80 per cent of homes use oil, natural gas or coal for heating, with a clear urban-rural split between oil and natural gas.

Oil is by far the most-used fuel in rural areas, with 70 per cent of households using it for heating. Natural gas is the most popular fuel in towns and cities, accounting for just over half (52 per cent) of central heating.

Peat, including turf, accounted for just over 10 per cent of central heating in rural areas but barely figured in urban areas.

Coal was used as the primary fuel by 5 per cent of homes.

The preliminary results of the census found that under 1 in 50 homes do not have any central heating at all.

The census also found that three quarters of households got their water supply from public mains, rising to 92 per cent in urban areas. Getting water from other sources was far more common in rural areas.

The question about central heating was one of several new questions which appeared on the 2011 census.

All the latest Census 2011 results here >

Here are the highlights of Census 2011 >