Statistics are typically economic, social or commercial data generated over a period of years and reporting on classes of activities. You can use them to back up an argument in an assignment, support a theory or illustrate trends.

They can be collected by official bodies or the private sector. You may be familiar with well known official statistics such as the census, or with private media surveys on newspaper circulation or radio listenership.   

           

The main official body for Irish social and economic statistics is the Central Statistics Office (CSO).