A Farm Structure Survey (FSS) is carried out between Censuses to measure changes in Farm Structure. The first Census of Agriculture in Ireland was carried out in 1847, and annually thereafter until 1953. Between 1960 and 1980 Censuses were carried out at 5 yearly intervals. From 1980 Censuses were carried out at 10 yearly intervals.

Farm Structure Surveys were carried out on three occasions in the 1980s ('83, '85, and '87), 1990s ('93, '95, and '97) and 2000s ('03, '05, '07). There has also been one subsequent Farm Structure Survey in 2013 since the 2010 Census of Agriculture. 

The data for the 2013 Farm Structure Survey was collected using an 8-page postal questionnaire. This questionnaire data was, for the first time for an FSS, supplemented by the use of administrative data from the Irish Ministry of Agriculture. The administrative databases utilised were the IACS and Bovine Registers. The use of these administrative databases has continued in subsequent years including Farm Structure Survey 2016. The 2010 Census of Agriculture was the first instance  that utilised these administrative databases. 

The statistical register compiled for the 2010 Census of Agriculture was updated for FSS 2013 and FSS 2016 by adding new administrative records of agriculture holdings or livestock herds created since the 2010 Census. These administrative records were provided by the Irish Ministry of Agriculture, known as the Department of Food, Agriculture and the Marine (DAFM).  New administrative ‘births’ were added to the existing register of 139 860 holdings from the 2010 Census giving a total sample frame of 144 931 holdings while also accounting for deaths.

Questionnaires were issued to 55 909 holdings in the week preceding the reference date of 1^st June 2016. Three reminders were issued at approximately fortnightly intervals to maximise the response rate.

The statistical activities of the CSO are governed by the Statistics Act, 1993.
See: http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/1993/en/act/pub/0021/print.html

This act provides the legislative framework for the CSO. It sets out the right of the Office to conduct statistical inquires (See Part III - Collection of Information of the Act above)

AIM - Animal, Identification and Movement System

CCS - Corporate Client System

CSO - Central Statistics Office

DAFM - Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine

DMS - Data Management System

IACS - Integrated Administration and Control System

NSI - National Statistics Institute

OCI - Scanning System Utilised

SPS - Single Payment Scheme

An agricultural holding was defined, in line with the definition in Article 2 of Council Regulation 1166/2008 as ‘a single unit, both technically and economically, which has a single management and which undertakes agricultural activities within the economic territory of the European Union, either as its primary or secondary activity’ 

Activities considered 'agricultural' for the purposes of the definition above as outlined in Annex I of Regulation 1166/2008, include the growing of perennial and non-perennial crops, plant propogation, animal production, mixed farming and/or those maintaining agricultural land in good agricultural and environmental condition (under 01.61 of NACE Rev. 2).

For survey data, a reference date for the land characteristics was June 1^st 2016, with the reasonable assumption that the crop in the ground on that date was the main crop for the 12 month period ending June 1st 2016. The administrative data source used a reference date of 31st May 2016, with a similar assumption.

The reference date for the livestock characteristics was June 1^st 2016 in the survey. This is also the reference date for bovines in the administrative data.

The reference period for the all labour force characteristics was the twelve-month period prior to June 1^st 2016.

The reference period for the rural development measures was the three-year period between January 1^st 2014 and December 31^st 2016.

• December 2015: Transmission of NE/NS characteristics to ESTAT.
• February 2016: Project Plan development
• February - March 2016: Consultation with Stakeholders

2. Census Preparations/Survey Design

• Feb-Mar 2016: Design of questionnaire
• March 2016: Testing of questionnaire for electronic scanning
• May 2016: Printing of questionnaire
• Apr-May 2016: Selection & Training of temporary processing staff

A pilot survey was not carried out as the FSS questionnaire was quite similar in content and design to questionnaires issued in previous agricultural surveys. The questionnaire was circulated to a small number of people with agricultural expertise for review prior to being launched and this process provided constructive feedback which was incorporated into the final version of the questionnaire. The accompanying information booklet was designed to add clarity to the data being collected.

3. Survey Management

• Feb 2016 - April 2016: Update Farm Register
• May 2016: Issue FSS2016 postal Questionnaire
• June-Sept 2016: Returns receipted
• June 2016: 1^st reminder notice issued
• July 2016: 2^nd reminder notice issued
• July 2016: 3^rd reminder notice issued

4. Data Capture/Data Processing /Data analysis

• June-Oct 2016: Returns electronically scanned and verified
• August 2016-Dec 2016: Data on paper returns edited
• Jan 2017 - May 2017: Integrate provisional administrative data with survey returns
• May 2017 - Oct 2017 : Integrate final administrative data with survey returns and check data for coherence
• Jan 2017 - June 2017: Imputation & weighting; check aggregates
• Jan 2017- Feb 2017: Impute for missing units to provide a full Census for FSS2016.

5. Data Dissemination

• September 2016: Pig results (2016) published
• September 2016: Provisional crops and livestock results published (state-level only)
• March 2017: Final crops and livestock results published (regional level)
• December 2017: First FSS2016 Micro-data file coded to Eurofarm format & transmitted
• February 2018: Draft National Methodological report  transmitted;
• February 2018: Final FSS2016 Micro-data file coded to Eurofarm format & transmitted;
• July 2018: Final validated FSS2016 Micro-data;
• November 2018: Final FSS2016 Micro-data including rural development measures. 

The FSS2016 was carried out by the Agriculture Division within the Central Statistics Office.

The project team consisted of 8 core processing staff, 2 Statisticians (one of whom was Project Manager) and 1 Senior Statistician. A further 10 CSO staff were assigned on a temporary basis for data processing between May and September 2016. Together these staff made up the project team.

This team was responsible for all aspects of FSS2016 from project planning and survey management through to dissemination of results. The team updated the farm register, designed and issued the FSS questionnaire and reminder notices, receipted and scrutinised questionnaires returned, scanned and verified data. The team then moved on to merging questionnaire data with administrative data and finally analysis of data and preparation of results for transmission to Eurostat and national publications.

It was also responsible for a specialist survey of large pig units (330 units), carried out as part of the FSS.

The CSO has its own internal Printing section which produced the questionnaires and accompanying information booklets. The CSO has an Office Services Unit which provided support in managing the large volumes of outgoing and incoming post.

The agricultural register used for FSS2016 was based on the register used for FSS2013 with new farm holdings ('births') instituted since 2010. The NSI Agriculture register contained 144 931 agricultural holdings. By combining both sample data and administrative data and imputing for any further variables required, a Census has been created for FSS 2016 for most of the characteristics. All of the main characteristics are provided for the full population through a combination of administrative and survey data sources.

FSS 2016 provides a farm population of 137 560 farms as follows:

i) 37 007 records from an FSS2016 sample survey PLUS

(ii) 100 001 records confirmed active on administrative databases held by Ministry of Agriculture  PLUS

(iii) 108 pig farms not in (i) or (ii) above but confirmed active in a specialised Pig Survey held on same reference date  PLUS

(iv) 417 records not in (i) or (ii) or (iii) but confirmed active in FSS 2016 and no evidence in the interim to suggest activity has ceased PLUS

(v) 27 commonage areas.

FSS 2016 used a combination of both administrative records and completed paper questionnaires and imputation techniques to compile the required data. In an effort to reduce the response burden on farmers, all questions relating to organic farming, cattle, cereals, potatoes and most crops were eliminated from the FSS 2016 questionnaire as the relevant data were available from administrative data files provided by DAFM. 

A supplementary pig questionnaire was sent to a sample of 329 pig farmers. These were farmers who returned 100 or more pigs in one or more of the preceding four pig surveys (June 2014, December 2014, June 2015 and December 2015).  This questionnaire allowed the pig producer to provide additional breakdowns of the breeding sows and of the non-breeding categories, a format which they were already familiar with. 

The Farm Register was compiled using a combination of the pre-existing CSO Farm Register and two administrative databases held by the DAFM, namely the Corporate Client System (CCS) and the Animal Identification and Movement (AIM) system:

(i) The pre-existing CSO Farm Register was created for the last FSS which took place in 2013. This register was maintained by the CSO Agriculture Register Section and updated with births and deaths identified in the annual June and December surveys between 2013 and 2016 which incorporates BPS (IACS) data. It was used as the sampling frame for every agriculture survey that was carried out by CSO since 2013. The availability of administrative files since 2010 ensures that now all entries on this register can be checked on an annual basis for activity and accurate contact details. The CSO register holds only contact information and location details. The register does not hold any structural variables.

(ii) The CCS database was received from DAFM in Spring 2016. This contained  records consisting of the name, address, telephone number, email, date of birth, and herd number of every farmer considered to be active by DAFM. The CCS database is separate to the IACS database but contains all of the holdings that are on the IACS system. The CCS database was used solely for the purposes of building the register. No statistical data was extracted from the CCS. 

(iii) The AIM database was received from DAFM in Spring 2016. Any record without a corresponding entry in CCS (ii above) were added to the Register. 

The resulting register was used as the frame for the FSS2016.

Type of frame is multiple list frames.

The sample was a stratified one-stage sample of holdings (probability design).

The selection process was based on 53 initial strata. There were a number of strata for whom we wanted to have a 100% sample. Farms selected for strata 1 and 2 were defined due to their specialist nature and their relatively small population. Sheep farms were selected in stratum 3, as we do not have an administrative data source for sheep and a matched sample is required annually for which we have a minimum sample size. Stratum 4 included all new births. The remainder of the sample was selected in strata 5-53.

The strata are:

1. All Poultry farms (farms with greater than or equal to 100 birds),
2. All Mushroom farms (farms with mushrooms in FSS2013)
3. Sheep farms, we generated a matched sample with the June 2015 survey, which resulted in 5 426 sheep farms.
4. Stratum 4 consisted of all new births according to administrative files. Once the births were checked and duplicates identified, the final number of births was 5 273.
5. Strata 1-4 initially resulted in 11 229 units selected into the sample. In order to generate a final sample of approximately 56 000, 45 000 units needed to be selected from the remaining 96 409 units on the sampling frame that were not included in strata 1-4 . These units were selected based on NUTS3 region and farm size and resulted in 49 additional strata.

1. All Poultry farms (farms with greater than or equal to 100 birds),
2. All Mushroom farms (farms with mushrooms).

as well as the new births.

In stratum 3, firstly, we generated a matched sample with the June 2015 survey. We selected all farms in stratum 1, stratum 2 and stratum 4. 

In strata 5-53, we applied the Neyman allocation method according to farm size and NUTS3. Area farmed was the variable used to calculate variability with the 49 strata.

The main administrative data files used were:

1. the Integrated Administration and Control System (IACS). This is provided according to Council Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003 of 29 September 2003 establishing common rules for direct support schemes under the common agricultural policy and establishing certain support schemes for farmers and amending Regulations (EEC) No 2019/93, (EC) No 1452/2001, (EC) No 1453/2001, (EC) No 1454/2001, (EC) 1868/94, (EC) No 1251/1999, (EC) No 1254/1999, (EC) No 1673/2000, (EEC) No 2358/71 and (EC) No 2529/2001[1].
2. the System for the Identification and Registration of Bovine Animals (AIM system). This is  provided according to Regulation (EC) No 1760/2000 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 July 2000 establishing a system for the identification and registration of bovine animals and regarding the labelling of beef and beef products and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 820/97[2].

Data on crops, cereals and potatoes were obtained from DAFM’s Single Payment Scheme (Council Regulation No 1782/2003) while all data on cattle was obtained from DAFM’s Animal Identification and Movement system (Council Regulation No 1760/2000). The use of these administrative data sources was provided for under Article 4.1 of the FSS regulation. The earliest application date for the SPS is March, and the closing date for applications was May, so while the reference date does not correspond exactly to our FSS reference date of 01/06/2016, the information in the SPS dataset was still usable for FSS2016 as it represented what was in the ground for the harvest year.

In addition to the above, the Corporate Client System database was received from our Ministry of Agriculture (DAFM) in Spring 2016 for the purpose of enhancing the Agriculture Register held by this NSI. This contained records consisting of the name, address, telephone number, email, date of birth, and herd number of every farmer considered to be active by DAFM. The CCS database is held separately to the IACS database but does contain all of the holdings that are on the IACS system. The CCS database was used solely for the purposes of building the register. No survey data was extracted from the CCS.

[1] OJ No. L270, 21.10.2003,p.1.

[2] OJ No. L204, 11.08.2000,p.1.

The reporting unit in the SPS (IACS) and the AIM databases is the Herd Number. Records were joined across databases using the Herd Number identifier.

IACS: Data for each parcel of land in the IACS is aggregated to the farm level.

IACS: The percentage of farmers who do not apply for payment under this scheme is now very small in number and in land area.

A small number of small farms without Bovines and without IACS payment entitlements, may fall outside of the scope of administrative databases. We estimate this to be 1.3% of farms ((1779+60)/137560).

Referred back to Ministry of Agriculture. Very very rare.

Bovine Register: The fact that the AIM system is the definitive register of cattle owners in Ireland implies that the system of fines for non-compliance with the AIM scheme incentivises farmers to keep its information up to date. As farmers must supply the date of birth when registering an animal, the AIM data for age is likely to be much more accurate than for survey data.

By combining both sample survey data and administrative data and imputing for any further variables required, a Census has been created for FSS2016 for most of the characteristics.

The survey data was collected as follows:

An 8-page A4 sized questionnaire (see Annex 3.3-5. FSS 2016 Questionnaire) was issued to all farm holdings in the week prior to June 1^st 2016 to be completed and returned to the CSO by Tuesday 8th June 2016. This was accompanied by an information booklet (see Annex 3.3-5. FSS 2016 Information Booklet) with detailed notes on each section of the questionnaire. Three reminders were issued in order to maximise the response rate.

A separate 2-page A4 sized questionnaire (see Annex 3.3-5. Pig Survey Form 2016) was also issued to all specialist pig-producers.

The paper questionnaires returned to the CSO were batched, receipted and scrutinised. They were then electronically scanned, verified and edited. 

The FSS survey data were collected entirely by post (i.e. no interviewers). Each questionnaire issued included a pre-addressed freepost reply envelope. The return address on the reply envelope was to some dedicated Post Office Boxes which were used exclusively for the Census of Agriculture. The advantage of this method was that post was segregated from other post when it was delivered to the CSO and the national Post Office was able to provide an exact count of how many envelopes were returned this way. The envelopes were mechanically cut open across the top and the questionnaire held within was removed manually.

The rate of return of questionnaires was monitored daily.  When the response rate began to decline below targets, a reminder notice was issued to those who had not yet responded. In total three reminder notices were issued between June 2016 and August 2016. The second and third reminder notices also included a copy of the questionnaire, in case the original had been mislaid. A limited number of non-respondents were phoned.

The questionnaire was issued to 55 909 holdings in the last week of May 2016. To increase the response rate three written reminders were posted out to non-respondents between June-August 2016. 73.1% (40 847) of the issued questionnaires were returned.  Of these, 37 007 were considered active farms from the information on the questionnaire.  

Number of holdings in the survey frame plus possible (new) holdings added afterwards

In case of a census 1=3+4+5

Number of holdings in the gross sample plus possible (new) holdings added to the sample

Only for sample survey, in which case 2=3+4+5

Number of ineligible holdings with ceased activities

This item is a subset of 3.

Number of holdings with unknown eligibility status

4>4.1+4.2

Number of eligible holdings

5=5.1+5.2

Number of eligible non-responding holdings

5.1>=5.1.1+5.1.2

Number of the records in the dataset 

6=5.2+5.1.2+4.2

54 273

(eligible returns from sample)

The data undergoes checks and controls throughout the processing stages. This takes place across three stages: scrutiny, verification and editing.

Scrutiny is a manual process undertaken by processing staff. The function of scrutiny is to detect and rectify errors in advance of data entry. It involves visually examining the questionnaire, page by-page. Where a ‘yes/no’ tick box was left unchecked or an inconsistency in the data was encountered, it was manually amended on the questionnaire where possible.

After data entry, the data enters verification stage. This is done electronically. Illegible digits and data are highlighted and corrected on screen by referring to previous returns or by deduction.  The data then enters the edit phase where data is passed through a range of pre-programmed edit checks. Here, arithmetic checks, range checks and consistency checks (with previous returns) are carried out and data is examined where these checks fail and then edited if necessary.

Data was processed through our Data Management System (DMS), which contains certain edit rules which ensure some basic unit level consistency. Edit rule failures were examined and corrected. Data was then processed using SAS for further edit checks.

Each of the three stages of the data validation was carried out by the processing staff in the CSO made up of temporary staff and more experienced supervisory staff.

The main groups of national characteristics surveyed are decided based on EU FSS legislation, i.e. Regulation 1166/2008.

A small number of additional variables were collected for national purposes. The need for these variables was identified through a consultation process with the main stakeholders prior to the survey design stage. Specifically these variables related to:

• Sheep: A  more detailed breakdown of sheep, consisting of rams, ewes (both under and over 2 years) and other sheep (both under and over 1 year).
• Poultry: The sub-division of both broilers and turkeys into breeding birds and table birds. 
• Equidae: The sub-division of equidae into thoroughbred, other horses and mules, jennets and asses.
• Deer: Number of farmed deer.
• Administrative Burden: the number of minutes taken to complete the FSS2016 questionnaire.

The following are considered to be the main sources of error in FSS2016:

• coverage error,
• non-response error,
• measurement error.

There are no cases where the estimated RSEs are above the thresholds where precision requirments are applicable. Crop and livestock characteristics are collected for each holding in the population.

The RSEs have been however calculated as if crop and livestock characteristics were collected based on the sample, in order to illustrate the quality of the sample for the characteristics actually collected only for the sample.

Unit non-response occured when a sample unit declined to respond to the questionnaire, despite the issuing of three reminders. Non-response was assumed (as opposed to out-of-scope/inactivity) when a form wasn't returned. Administrative data was utilised where possible for farms which were found to be active on administrative files despite providing no response. Otherwise, imputation was used to impute certain characteristics for the non-sampled units to compile a full census.

However, there was no administrative data or robust imputation method available for a small number of FSS characteristics (other gainful activities, crop rotation and manure management). Therefore, these are available for the responding units only (n=37 007) and as such are weighted variables. Non-response was taken into consideration when calculating weights for these particular variables.

Full non-response was addressed by using administrative data to confirm level of activity and provide data. Therefore, bias due to non-response is considered to have been addressed. The unit non-response rate is 31.8%, non-responding units with unknown eligibility status are treated the same way as the ineligible units. 

As all data on bovines and crops were collected from administrative records, only variables collected in the FSS paper questionnaire were affected by item non-response. This seemed to occur mostly in the farm labour, OGA, crop rotation, manure management and training sections. The FSS is a self-completed postal questionnaire (8 pages) and as such there may be respondent fatigue by the time these sections are reached. The data being collected are complex and do not work well in a postal questionnaire with no trained interviewer present during completion. It can therefore be difficult also to determine if the cells are empty due to non-response or are in fact real zero.

Where available, administrative data is used to impute for item non-response or to confirm real zero. In the absence of administrative data , data were imputed using regression if appropriate explanatory variables could be identified.

Sheep: The annual Sheep & Goat Census carried out by the Ministry of Agriculture, which provides a register of all sheep producers with a reference date of December of each year. This was used to impute for missing sheep data. The number of breeding females (C_3_1_1) was taken from the Census and an expected non-breeding flock (C_3_1_99) per unit of breeding female was derived controlling for whether the farm was an upland or lowland holding (as this factor influences productivity per breeding female).

Labour: Where the age of the holder was not provided or a unit was not sampled, administrative files were first checked for a date of birth. If this failed, the age at the last FSS in 2013 was checked if available and adjusted accordingly. Finally, if the age could still not be confirmed, the distribution of holder ages across all returns was examined and this distribution was used to randomly assign ages to the missing cases. In returns where the labour force section was left completely blank or in cases where the farm was not directly surveyed in 2016 , regression techniques were utilised to provide a model for labour component of farms based on all available explanatory variables including area farmed, number of livestock, age of holder, gender of holder amongst others. Time spent was also regressed on explanatory variables.

Grass: Where no grassland area was provided for farms with bovines, the number of bovines in each category were used as explanatory variables in predicting a value for area of grassland.

Also, imputation from administrative data or previous surveys was also used to account for unit non-response. 

Each form was scrutinised before scanning to highlight any obvious errors. After scanning, the verification procedure ensured that any questionable cells were checked and corrected. 

Plants Harvested Green (B_1_9) and Pasture and Meadow excluding rough grazing (B_3 minus B_3_2): Total grassland was available from administrative sources, however the breakdown between Plants harvested green and Pasture and Meadow was unavailable. Therefore the proportional breakdown of pasture and meadow and plants harvested green (from questionnaire) to total grassland (from administrative data) was applied to the non-surveyed units. Imputation rate for B_1_9 and B_3=72.6%

Administrative data was available for all other main characteristics.

Initial Delivery of FSS 2016 to Eurostat = On schedule (Sent Dec 21st 2017)

Final Delivery of FSS 2016 to Eurostat = July 20th 2018

FSS 2016 results will not be published until the dataset and NMR have been validated and accepted by Eurostat.

The characteristics collected in FSS 2016 correspond to the list of characteristics provided in the Annex of Regulation (EC) No.715/2014. 

The 10^th version of the ‘Handbook on implementing the FSS and SAPM definitions’ was used to define the variables.

1 800 hours per annum for a full-time employee is used to calculate the Annual Work Unit.

There are 27 agricultural common land units, covering 427 848 ha. The UAA of the common land is entirely permanent grassland and meadow - rough grazing and the units are recorded at the level of NUTS 4. This estimate was obtained from the Irish agriculture ministry, DAFM. This data is the most accurate data in the state for declared commonage and follows a year-long review undertaken by DAFM of all declared common land in Ireland. This comprehensive review occured in 2009/2010, and consisted of physical inspections of the areas and/or a review of the ortho-imagery. It involved excluding all ineligible features such as scrub, rock, roadways, forests etc to construct accurate areas.

Big difference in arable land as temporary grass has reduced significantly from 2013. Temporary grass methodology has changed.

At micro level data was examined throughout the editing process. Different data sources were used to evaluate the data that was to be processed. Sources included the FSS 2013, Census 2010 and administrative sources from the Ministry. 

Wherever possible, FSS data were also compared with other available sources and data in other domains. For example the results were compared with FSS 2013, Census of Agriculture 2010 as well as annual crop and animal production surveys. 

Examination of the animal production data showed some very slight differences which were deemed acceptable. Production of crops data show some differences with the FSS 2016 results which can be explained by differences in definitions and/or reference periods and as such can be of limited use. 

1. Some results for June 2016  were published nationally on September 8th 2016 as "Crops and Livestock Survey June 2016 Provisional estimates". This publication covered cereals, potatoes, cattle and sheep at national level.

2. Final areas of crops and numbers of livestock for June 2016 were published on March 10th 2017 as "Crops and Livestock June 2016 Final Results". This publication provided details of crops at national and regional level and cattle at national, regional and county level, and results for sheep, pigs and other livestock at national and regional level. Background notes are provided with the data.

3. A final FSS publication detailing farms by size, type, economic size and detailed farm labour force data will be published once NMR and FSS2016 dataset have been validated and accepted by Eurostat . The data tables will be accompanied by background notes on data collection, derivation of farm typology, livestock unit coefficients and a copy of the questionnaire.

1. Published nationally on September 8th 2016;

2. Published nationally on March 10th 2017;

3. To be published mid-2018.

1. http://www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/er/clsjp/cropsandlivestocksurveyjuneprovisional2016/

2. http://www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/er/clsjf/cropsandlivestocksurveyjunefinal2016/

 1. AAA08 Number of cattle in June by type of cattle, region, county and year:

http://www.cso.ie/px/pxeirestat/Statire/SelectVarVal/Define.asp?maintable=AAA08&PLanguage=0

2. AAA07 Number of livestock in June by type of animal, region and year:

http://www.cso.ie/px/pxeirestat/Statire/SelectVarVal/Define.asp?maintable=AAA07&PLanguage=0

3. Area Farmed in June by type of land use, region and year:

http://www.cso.ie/px/pxeirestat/Statire/SelectVarVal/Define.asp?maintable=AQA05&PLanguage=0

There are usually only a very small number of requests for access to microdata, if any. Applicants must submit a detailed application through the Research Microdata File (RMF) application which requests comprehensive details around the researcher, the purpose of the research and the proposed outputs. The application goes through several layers of approval with the final approval always resting with the Director General of the CSO. Where approved, data may not be taken off-site and is accessed on a stand-alone PC with no network or internet connections. All outputs are placed in a folder to be examined by the Data Custodian to ensure there are no breaches of confidentiality.

While the FSS data is not collected in another CSO survey, the annual June agriculture survey is replaced by the FSS in FSS years.

The utilisation of Bovine Register and IACS register eliminates the need for farmers to provide this data.

The CSO is focused on continuously reducing the response burden on farmers. The final section of the FSS questionnaire, and indeed every agricultural survey, asks the respondent to indicate, in minutes, how long it took to complete the form. This allows CSO to measure the change in response burden from year to year.

All information returned on FSS questionnaires is treated as strictly confidential and is used for statistical purposes only. This is guaranteed by both Irish and EU law.

Section 33 of the Statistics Act 1993 states:

33.(1) No information obtained in any way under this Act or the repealed enactments which can be related to an identifiable person or undertaking shall, except with the written consent of that person or undertaking or the personal representative or next-of-kin of a deceased person, be disseminated, shown or communicated to any person or body except as follows:

( a ) for the purposes of a prosecution for an offence under this Act;

( b ) to officers of statistics in the course of their duties under this Act;

( c ) for the purposes of recording such information solely for the use of the Office in such form and manner as is provided for by a contract in writing made by the Director General which protects its confidentiality to his satisfaction. 

The Act guarantees the confidentiality of all data provided, expressly prohibiting the disclosure of information which can be related to any identifiable person or enterprise. (See Part V - Protection of Information of the Act above). It specifies the offences and penalties occurred for breaching this confidentiality. (See Part VI - Offences, Penalties and Evidence of the Act above).

In the national release, a category is primary confidential if any one of the following conditions applies:

• there are three or less units,
• one unit accounts for more than 80% of the total (dominance rule 1),
• two units account for more than 90% of the total (dominance rule 2).

 A category is secondary confidential if publishing that category indirectly reveals information about a confidential category.