About Us

Employment of Field Staff

Fieldwork

The CSO employs full-time and part-time staff for fieldwork throughout the country relating to some of its statistical inquiries. In some instances, this involves the direct collection of statistics (e.g. Census of Population, Quarterly National Household Survey, Household Budget Survey). In other cases field staff visit late respondents to business inquiries to encourage them to co-operate and to assist them in the completion of the relevant questionnaires.

These field posts are temporary unestablished positions. They are excluded positions under the Civil Service Commissioners Act, 1956 by order of the Civil Service Commissioners on the basis of the consent of the Minister for Finance.

The salary and conditions of service relating to the different categories of field posts are agreed by the Department of Finance. Copies are available from the CSO Personnel Section. Application forms are normally available either directly from the CSO or through FÁS offices throughout the country. Successful applicants are selected, following shortlisting and competitive interview, in accordance with the job requirements set out in the recruitment documentation available to all applicants. In accordance with Government policy, preference is given to persons not in paid employment.

The CSO implements best personnel practices and observes the requirements of relevant Civil Service regulations and employment law in the management of field staff.

Ongoing Field Staff Operations

Quarterly National Household Survey Field Staff

The CSO employs 12 full-time Field Co-ordinators and 130 part-time Interviewers on the Quarterly National Household Survey. These staff were recruited in 1997 in a nationally advertised open competition organised by the CSO in collaboration with FÁS and the Civil Service Commission. Similar local competitions are organised through FÁS as vacancies arise.

Annual Business Inquiry Field Staff

Each Autumn for approximately 12 weeks, the CSO employs 26 full-time Field Officers throughout the country to visit late respondents to the Annual Services and Business Register Inquiries. The must recent recruitment competition was in 2004.

Tourism Enumerators

The CSO employs 12 temporary part-time Enumerators each summer at airports and seaports and on cross-border rail. The Enumerators conduct sample surveys of persons entering and leaving the country. The results are used to provide estimates for overseas tourism and travel. These part-time Enumerators are recruited as necessary, from shortlists of suitable candidates supplied by FÁS.

Price Collectors

A national team of approximately 200 Price Collectors (including some CSO staff) collects prices from retail and service outlets in a sample of towns and cities throughout the country. Pricing takes place on the second Tuesday of each month. The data collected is used in the compilation of the Consumer Price Index. Recruitment of replacement Pricers is carried out directly by CSO with the co-operation of FÁS offices nationwide.

Census Enumerators

Every five years the CSO recruit approximately 4,500 enumerators to carry out the Census field operation. These enumerators visit approximately 1.8 million private residences and communal establishments during the course of a nine week field campaign. 2006 Census (Link to the 2006 Census homepage).