Some perplexities in regard to the agricultural statistics of Ireland

Abstract

Certainly, if we leave aside political issues for the moment and consider economic problems only, then the capacity of a people for self-government can be pretty well measured by their capacity to handle statistical evidence as to the economic position of their country. In Ireland this capacity hardly exists among our responsible public representatives, and is very rare among our irresponsible private citizens. The condition of our public statistics at the present moment is probably worse in the Free State of Ireland than in any civilised country in Europe. We have no census of Production since 1908; no census of Population, Housing and Occupations since 1911; no detailed report on Agricultural Statistics since 1917; no statistics of External Trade for anv year later than 1921.