Sir, – I read with interest the points made by Dr EF Keane regarding uncollected census forms (July 13th). I would like to point out that it specifically states on the form, “If your form has not been collected by 9 May, please return it fully completed to Central Statistics Office, PO Box 2011, Freepost 4726, Swords, Co Dublin”.
There is no excuse for enumerators to have missed collecting all forms, and I agree there should be a better system in check to ensure the number distributed is the number returned. However, there is no excuse for citizens not to have returned the completed forms. The information is clearly written on the form and the address is freepost, so no stamp is required. If these households “have been erased from the records”, as he states, they are as much to blame as the enumerators. – Yours, etc,