Social Reseach in the
Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency
McAuley House
NISRA is the principal source of official information on Northern Ireland's population and socio-economic conditions. The statistics produced by the Agency inform policy process within government, academic research and contribute to debate in the wider community. The Agency incorporates the General Register Office (GRO) for Northern Ireland, which provides a civil registration service and produces summary statistics relating to life events, which inform annual population estimates.
Aims of the Agency
The corporate aims of NISRA are as follows:
- To provide a statistical and research service to support decision making by Northern Ireland Ministers and Departments and to inform elected representatives and the wider community through the dissemination of reliable official statistics; and
- To administer the marriage laws and to provide a system for the civil registration of births, marriages, adoptions and deaths in Northern Ireland.
Key Objectives of the Agency
In support of these aims, the Agency had 5 key objectives for 2002/03:
- to provide a high quality service to customers;
- to disseminate official statistics in Northern Ireland;
- to deliver the Registration Service;
- to provide efficient and effective financial management of the Agency;
- to plan, undertake and report a Census of Population.
Functions of the Agency
The principal functions of the Agency, consistent with its aims and objectives, are:
- To be the principal advisory body on statistics and social research for Northern Ireland Departments, the Northern Ireland Office and their respective Ministers;
- To provide and co-ordinate professional statistics and research services, and advice to Northern Ireland Departments, Agencies and
Non-Departmental Public Bodies;
- To collect, analyse and make available official statistics which describe Northern Ireland's society, economy, population and public service;
- To provide high quality demographic information to enable the number and the condition of the population to be monitored and changes over time to be identified;
- To support, facilitate and contribute to the development of economic and social policies in Northern Ireland;
- To ensure that statistical and research standards are adhered to and that best methodological practice is employed in official statistics and social research;
- To provide Northern Ireland statistics required for United Kingdom, European Union and international statistical series; and
- To administer the marriage laws and provide and efficient and effective system for the registration of births, marriages, adoptions and deaths in Northern Ireland.
