A Fine Gael TD has asked the Central Statistics Office (CSO) for information on the number of people who claimed their religion was that of 'Jedi knight' in last year's Census.

Dublin Deputy Eoghan Murphy made the request today at a sitting of the Dáil Public Accounts Committee.

He queried whether the Census form returns inaccurate data, as it would allow people to indicate a religion which was not a recognised faith.

But Gerry O'Hanlon from the CSO told Deputy Murphy that if someone wants to record their religon as that of Jedi knight - then that is what will be reflected in the statistics.`

"There's a thing going around online about ticking 'other' for religion, and writing in that you are a Jedi knight," Deputy Murphy said.

"And if enough people did it then we'd have Jedi knight as a religion, in Ireland officially - is that possible?"

"If somebody wishes, under 'religious denomination', to declare themselves a Jedi knight, then the CSO is quite prepared to accept it," Mr O'Hanlon responded.

"It's self-declaration - whether such a thing exists or not is immaterial," he added.

"We could probably tell you the number of people who have declared themselves as such, but we don't publish it."