CSO launches survey to assess impact of Covid-19 pandemic on public

By Cate McCurry, PA

The Central Statistics Office (CSO) has launched a survey to assess how the coronavirus pandemic changed the lives of Irish people.

March 2025 will mark five years since the threat of Covid-19 changed life for people in Ireland almost overnight.

The CSO is appealing to people to take part in their short, online pulse survey entitled Covid-19 – Our Lives Five Years On.

The survey aims to measure the impact of the changes that people and families experienced over that period.

Launch of new CSO online Pulse Survey: COVID-19 – Our Lives Five Years Onhttps://t.co/0xYaNFs4kU#CSOIreland #Ireland #CSOTakePart #PULSESurvey #TellUsIreland #COVID19 #COVID19FiveYearsOn pic.twitter.com/eaiIAkaetM

— Central Statistics Office Ireland (@CSOIreland) January 17, 2025

This CSO survey goes live today and can be accessed via its social media channels and website.

It is open to everyone aged 18 years and over living in Ireland.

The survey will close at midnight on February 3rd, and the results will be published in March, to coincide with the anniversary of the introduction of restrictions in Ireland in response to the pandemic.

Fiona O’Riordan, head of the CSO’s social data collection section, said: “In this survey, we ask you to tell us about how your life has changed in the last five years.

“Does widespread remote working impact on your job satisfaction, work-life balance, or your opportunities for promotion?

“Did school or college closures impact your or your children’s education and social development?

“Have your personal relationships been affected, or has your attitude to exercise or social media changed?”

Ms O’Riordan said that by opting to take part in the short survey, the public will provide valuable insight into the impact of the pandemic on the lives of people in Ireland.

The survey should take no longer than 10 minutes to complete, Ms O’Riordan said, and can be done on any type of device, including a mobile phone.

“Taking part in this Pulse Survey gives you the opportunity to add your voice to this important record of how we as a nation responded and dealt with the pandemic,” she added.

The last government previously said it will “evaluate” how Ireland handled the coronavirus pandemic rather than set up a statutory inquiry.

Under the draft programme for government, published earlier this week, it said the incoming government will “ the work of the Covid-19 inquiry”.

It also pledged to maintain the review of the model of care for long Covid, taking of input from patient representatives.