Registration for Enumerator posts for the 2016 Census was closed by the CSO at 1pm, with the registration quota of 16,000 applicants reached in less than five hours.
By 12.47pm 15,870 people had registered on the CSO website, census.ie, - the first step aspiring candidates must make before submitting their application.
The CSO says it has received phenomenal interest and the registrations come from candidates all around the country.
All applicants will now go forward for interview.
Around 4,700 enumerators are expected to be recruited.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Deirdre Cullen, senior statistician with the CSO, said they are looking for a broad range of individuals with good people skills and the ability to follow detailed instructions.
Successful applicants will be responsible for the distribution and collection of census forms to 400 households in their allocated area.
The census takes place later this year on Sunday 24 April.
Enumerators will earn approximately €2,400 for the ten-week period from 21 March until 27 May 2016, collecting an estimated 2.3 million forms.
Census enumerators are paid a fixed fee for the delivery and collection of census forms, along with fixed allowances for training, home storage, Sunday working, terminal bonus and travel.
