NEXT YEAR WILL see Ireland’s 26th census and it will require up to 2.3 million census forms to be distributed around the country.

The Central Statistics Office will employ 4,660 people on a temporary basis to deliver these forms and the office has today announced details of that application process.

Competition for the 10-week-job as a census enumerator is always tough and the CSO says they will be accepting up to 15,000 applications.

Enumerators are paid a fixed fee for the delivery and collection of census forms in their area along with fixed allowances for training, home storage, Sunday working and travel.

The CSO says that enumerators will earn approximately €2,400 for the ten week period.

Applications open on 5 January and will stay open for three days unless the 15,000 limit is reached first.

Next year’s census will be held on 24 April 2016, just over five years after the last population count on 10 April 2011.

The last census recorded that the population of Ireland was 4,588,252.

Aside from the topline population figure, the census also records other information including age, religion and employment. Next year’s census will have 30 different questions.

The census forms will be delivered by the enumerators in the five-week period between 21 March and 24 April.

Information on becoming a census enumerator can be found on the census website.

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