Interviewer instructions
17.1 General
The household is the basic unit for the purpose of the Census enumeration and a separate return on Form A must be made in respect of every household in the State by the head, or other person acting as the head, of the household.
For Census purposes, households are divided into two categories: private households and non-private households (i.e., institutions). It is absolutely essential that you know and understand thoroughly the following definitions of the two categories of household before you commence to work in the field.
17.2 Definition of private household
Anyone person, or group of persons (usually, but not necessarily, related) with housekeeping arrangements, separately occupying all or part of a private house, fiat, apartment or other private habitation of any kind, is regarded as a private household for Census purposes. Persons staying temporarily with the household are included but persons temporarily absent on Census night are excluded. The persons who constitute a private household jointly occupy living accommodation, share the principal meals (unless prevented by, for example, working conditions) and have common provision for the basic living needs. Each of the following is regarded as one private household:
1. A husband and wife (or couple); a husband and wife (or couple) and children, or one parent and children -living together and having no other persons residing with them - or a family such as any of the foregoing with their relatives, servants, visitors or boarders (not exceeding four in number - see Instruction 17.3) residing with them.
2. All persons occupying the same private dwelling and normally having their meals together.
3. A person living alone or with servants.
4. A lodger occupying a room or rooms in a house or fiat and not sharing in the housekeeping arrangements-particularly in the provision of food - with the other residents.
5. A resident caretaker of a house, office, etc., whether living alone or with his family if they reside with him.
17.3 Definition of non-private household
For persons passing Census night in an establishment or institution such as those included in the following list the entire establishment or institution is to be treated as a single non-private household for which a form(s) must be filled in by the person in charge: hotel; club; guest house; boarding house; hostel; monastery; convent; hospital; nurses' home; military barracks; Garda station; nursing home; county home; orphanage; prison; boarding school, etc.
Note that, [for boarding house], in the case of a private household with less than five boarders residing in it, the boarders do not constitute a separate non-private household but are to be regarded as members of the private household.
[p.19]
It is most important to note, however, that if the proprietor, manager, head etc. or any member of the staff resides on the premises with his/her family, they are not to be regarded as part of the establishment or institution for Census purposes. Such a person, together with his/her family is to be regarded as a distinct private household and is to receive and fill up a separate Form A for that household. With regard to what should be recorded as separate institutions, please refer to Instruction 15.5 on page 14.
Members of the staff of an institution, who live outside the institution but are working a night-shift or on night duty on Census night, should be enumerated in their homes provided they return to them on the following day.
