Sir, I recently wrote to the Taoiseach's Office regarding the current Census.
I was rather alarmed to discover that as a blind person I had been excluded from the Census. No information about the Census was available in braille and no forms were available in braille.
I contacted the Census office who told me that I should get a member of my family to fill in the Census form. They were rather surprised to discover that my family lived in England and said that somebody else should fill in the form for me. They also informed me that if I didn't like their advice, I should contact the press.
I decided to write to the Taoiseach's Office which is responsible for running the Census office. In fact I went one better and wrote to the Taoiseach.
I said that I was blind and that I found it very difficult to access printed material. I explained that I had been to university and did not therefore wish to have somebody to fill in the Census form for me, just as if I was still a child of pre school age. I also pointed out that perhaps the lack of information in braille about the Census and the failure to provide any forms in braille, was an acknowledgement by the Office of the Taoiseach that, as a blind person, I am excluded from society.
The Taoiseach was able to confirm that as I had feared, I was in fact excluded from society and as far as he was concerned I did not exist as a blind person. Despite my having explained to the Taoiseach that I had great difficulty in reading print and despite having sent him a letter in braille, my reply from him was in print.
Perhaps the "silly season" has started early this year and this was the Taoiseach's contribution to it. At least the Taoiseach has now made it official that, as a blind person I do not exist, and as such, I cannot be punished for not filling in my Census form.
Yours, etc.,
Townsend Street,
Dublin 2.