Religious background question in next year’s census part of a crude headcount, says Alliance

The once in a decade government survey will be conducted on March 21 – the same date as the census in the rest of the UK and yesterday legislation was brought to the Assembly to approve the process.

Some experts have predicted that next year’s census will for the first time indicate a Catholic majority in Northern Ireland.

For those who say they are not religious, the census will nevertheless ask them to state the religion in which they were brought up. Objecting to that question, Alliance MLA Kellie Armstrong said that was “outdated and insulting to many people who do not wish to be identified by their religious background”.

She said the census “will deliver information that perpetuates a Catholic or Protestant headcount; data that is not relevant and that is quite disrespectful to the growing number of people who no longer wish to be defined by a specific religion or who do not have a religion”.

She accused the DUP and Sinn Féin of “asking people who are not involved in a religion to be defined by that religion”.

Sinn Féin junior minister Declan Kearney said that there would be no fine for anyone who did not answer the question but it was “essential” that it was included.

DUP junior minister Gordon Lyons said that “we will keep the timing of the census under review. If, because of coronavirus or, indeed, any other reason, a census cannot be taken, further legislation will be brought before the Assembly to amend the plans laid out here”.

The census will also involve new questions on sexual orientation, autism and Asperger’s syndrome, and renewable energy.

TUV leader Jim Allister challenged Sinn Féin to apologise for the IRA’s murder of census collector Joanne Mathers in 1981. Mr Kearney said it was a “tragic killing and “a terrible act”.

First census to be mainly online

Next year’s census will be the first time that the household survey will largely be conducted online.

Junior minister Gordon Lyons told the Assembly that would “make it easier for the majority of our population to fill in their returns”. He said that around 80% of households will receive an initial invitation to take part online, with the remainder receiving a paper questionnaire – but they can also choose to take part online while those who want to fill in a paper form can request one.

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