A NEW study has shown that while Dun Laoghaire Rathdown is Ireland’s wealthiest local authority district, some areas classified as disadvantaged have been hit badly by the recession.
The study entitled
‘Social Inclusion Profile of Dun Laoghaire Rathdown’ was conducted by Southside Partnership in conjunction with the All-Island Research Observatory (AIRO), based at the National University of Ireland in Maynooth.
The study was largely based on comparisons of the figures published in the censuses of 2011 and 2006.
In total, 110 out of 760 neighbourhoods analysed in Dun Laoghaire Rathdown for the study are classed as
“below average
? in terms of affluence, with 37 classed as
“disadvantaged
?.
The report also found that over half of the
“disadvantaged
? areas experienced a negative shift over the period 2006 to 2011.
A spokesman for AIRO said areas classed as disadvantaged that have experienced a relative decrease in their position since 2006 were located within Sallynoggin, Ballybrack, Loughlinstown, Nutgrove and Balally.
Some 8.4 per cent of areas surveyed in Ballybrack, Loughlinstown, Sallynoggin, Mounttown, Kilcross, Balally, Nutgrove, Hillview and Rosemount were classed as
‘marginally below average’.
Some 4.7 per cent of neighbourhoods within the same areas were classified as
“disadvantaged
? and 0.1 per cent were classified as
“very disadvantaged
?.
Justin Gleeson, AIRO project manager, said the study shows that the overall level of affluence in the county was
“masking
? the fact that many disadvantaged areas in Dun Laoghaire Rathdown had experienced increased levels of deprivation since the onset of the recession.
The study also shows that as of April 2012, the total number of people on the Live Register within the Dun Laoghaire Rathdown area was 9,649. The area specific figures include some of those signing on at the Bray social welfare office and those signing on at the Dun Laoghaire and Nutgrove offices.
The figure of 9,649 represents an increase of 167 per cent from January 2008. However, the figures also show that following a peak in 2010, Live Register figures decreased by -7.8 per cent in the 12 months between April 2011 to April 2012 from 10,467 to 9,649.
Based on those aged between 18 and 65, the study also found that neighbourhoods such as Hillview, Loughlinstown and Columbanus had the highest rates of social welfare recipients in April 2012.
The research also shows that the total percentage of the population over 15, who had no formal education/or had just primary level was 8.1 per cent. This was the lowest percentage of any local authority area in the country.
However, areas with the highest percentages of those without any formal education or just primary level include Sallynoggin (25.7 per cent), Ballybrack (24.9 per cent) and Loughlinstown (23.6 per cent).
In terms of population the study shows that Dun Laoghaire Rathdown has the third highest number of residents (29,872) over the age of 65 in the country at 14.5 per cent of the total population in the county.
Some 1.2 per cent of people in the county classified their health as being
“bad or very bad
?. In percentage terms of population, this ranked as the fourth lowest in the country.
The Loughlinstown, Nutgrove and Dalkey areas had the highest percentages in terms of population of those who described their health as
“bad or very bad
?.
Marie Carroll, CEO of Southside Partnership, said the figures highlighted in the report could be deceptive because despite the findings that in percentage terms the county was doing well in certain categories of social inclusion, the numbers of those experiencing disadvantage were still high.
“There is a very positive side to Dun Laoghaire Rathdown and there have been improvements in some places and setbacks in others but the figures can be deceptive,
? she said.
“We are going to deepen the analysis of this study and look at specific vulnerable groups and do an assessment of what has happened to them. This study will be the foundation of much more comprehensive work we are going to do to target he more marginalised groups in the county.
?