1926 Census, Ireland

1926 Census, Ireland http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/1926C/ We the undersigned petition the Taoiseach [Prime Minister] of Ireland, Mr. Brian Cowen TD, to use the powers vested in his office under section 33 (3) of the Statistics Act 1993 to release the complete returns for the 1926 census. Catastrophic destruction befell Irish sources for genealogy and history when the Public Record Office of Ireland was consumed by fire in June 1922. The 1926 census was the first compiled since the foundation of the State and includes a few basic facts about the lives of the many Irish people then living who were born before civil registration began in Ireland in 1864. Over 82 years have passed since the 1926 census was first compiled and given this almost every adult alive at that time is now deceased. In the USA census returns are released 71 years after their compilation. Currently the returns for all surviving US censuses (along with indexes) up to and including that for 1930 can be seen on the Internet. In Ireland, there is a precedent for earlier release of census records. The 1911 census was first made available for research purposes in 1961, only 50 years after it had been compiled. We believe that as the data recorded in the 1926 census was almost identical to that recorded in the 1911 census, then the issue of breach of confidentiality will not arise. We implore the Taoiseach to make the 1926 census returns available to public consultation. Council of Irish Genealogical Organisations*www.cigo.ie*  ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Added by CIGO @ June 30, 2008, 1:06 pm ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Addendum: A query has been raised about the possible unsuitability of section 33(3) of the Statistics Act for opening the 1926 census. In the unlikely event that anyone who has so far subscribed to the petition also feeling the same CIGO has decided to add the following line to the end of the Petition’s first paragraph: “or to pass amending legislation to achieve the same.” Thu, 26 Jun 2008 08:1:53 CDT en-us 3 kathleen hennessy http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/1926C/#sig5857145 Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:0:00 CST I support this petition. Anita Curran http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/1926C/#sig5854769 Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:0:00 CST I support this petition. Nicholas Cargin http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/1926C/#sig5854478 Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:0:00 CST I support this petition. mary muller http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/1926C/#sig5853413 Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:0:00 CST I support this petition. Tamsin Austin http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/1926C/#sig5848245 Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:0:00 CST I support this petition. damian tighe http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/1926C/#sig5847719 Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:0:00 CST I support this petition. Elaine Walsh http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/1926C/#sig5846091 Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:0:00 CST I support this petition. Denise Barrett http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/1926C/#sig5844464 Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:0:00 CST I support this petition. Patrick O\'Brien http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/1926C/#sig5843758 Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:0:00 CST I support this petition. Edward Rochfort http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/1926C/#sig5842959 Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:0:00 CST I support this petition. I was born in Ireland and am very interested in researching my ancestry. I do not see this as a privacy issue but rather one of historical significance and heritage. Michael Connolly http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/1926C/#sig5841985 Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:0:00 CST I support this petition. Mary Gamble http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/1926C/#sig5840751 Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:0:00 CST I support this petition. Augustine McHugh http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/1926C/#sig5839964 Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:0:00 CST I support this petition. David Brazil http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/1926C/#sig5839266 Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:0:00 CST I support this petition. I have been trying to trace my family tree and it is near impossible since my Mother & Father\'s families we born after 1922. William Whelan http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/1926C/#sig5838137 Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:0:00 CST I support this petition. Conor Geraghty http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/1926C/#sig5835276 Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:0:00 CST I support this petition. olive leow http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/1926C/#sig5826727 Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:0:00 CST I support this petition. Michael Green http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/1926C/#sig5821115 Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:0:00 CST I support this petition. Christopher David Sheridan http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/1926C/#sig5818689 Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:0:00 CST You bet your Ass I support this petition. Thomas J. Fitzgerald, Jr http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/1926C/#sig5810790 Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:0:00 CST I support this petition.