Census forms in 13 languages.

31 Mar, 2006

The 2006 Ireland census forms are to be translated into 11 languages besides Irish and English in recognition of the growing number of foreign nationals living and working in Ireland. The last census in 2002 recorded a total population of 3.9 million people, of whom 5.8 percent were non-Irish nationals. Now it is estimated that foreign nationals represent nearly 10 percent of the population. Census forms are to be translated into Arabic, Chinese, Czech, French, Latvian, Lithuanian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian and Spanish, as well as being produced in Braille, large print and audio versions. About 5,000 temporary staff have been employed to carry out the census, which will take place on the evening of 23 April.