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              Wide variation in key regional indicators


A new report Regional Quality of Life in Ireland, published by the CSO today, examines variations in economic, social and environment performance at county and region level.

In the 2006 Census, 15% of all accommodation was vacant. The Border (21.4%) and West (20.5%) regions, and counties Leitrim (29.3%) and Donegal (27%) had the highest rates. Counties along the west coast and Wexford had rates above 20%.

The proportion of detached houses in the Dublin region was 11.8%. Elsewhere the rate ranged from 47.2% in the Mid-East to 65% in the West region. Dublin City had the highest proportion of apartments at 31% followed by Galway City (22%).

Broadband access varied widely across the country, 53% of households with a PC in Dublin had broadband access to the Internet compared with 22% in the Border and Midland regions.

The Dublin (16.7%) and South-West (16.1%) regions had the highest proportions of Leaving Certificate higher level A grades compared with a national average of 13.1%. The Border (9.9%) and Midland (10.1%) regions had the lowest proportions. At county level, Cork (16.7%), Limerick (14.9%), Galway (14.3%) and Kerry (14.2%) had the highest
proportions of A grades. Cavan (8.6%) and Leitrim (7.6%) had the lowest proportions. The Dublin region (8.8%) was over double the national rate of 4.2% for grades E or less.

The Mid-East (17.7%) region and Dublin City Council (16.4%) had the highest percentages of license holders with penalty points. The West region (10.7%) and Mayo (9.7%) had the lowest rates followed by Kerry (10.2%) and Donegal (10.3%). Kildare (18.7%) and Meath (18%) had the highest rates.

The Dublin region had the highest Gross Value Added (GVA) per person at €48,580 compared with the lowest of €22,914 in the Midland region. The national average was €34,468. The combined GVA per person in the Dublin and Mid-East regions was €42,435, which was 23.1% higher than the national average.

The population of Ireland increased by 8.2% between 2002 and 2006. Fingal (22.2%), Meath (21.5%) and Laoighis (14.1%) had the largest percentage increases. Cork City (-3%) and Limerick City (-2.7%) had decreases in population size between 2002 and 2006. The Dublin (5.7%), Mid-West (6.3%) and South-West (7%) regions had the smallest percentage increases. Kildare (26.4%) and Meath (23.4%) had the highest proportions of the population aged 0-14 in 2006.

Around half of private households in Fingal (55.5%), Meath (53%), Kildare (51.2%) and South Dublin (48.9%) were owner occupied with a loan or mortgage in comparison with a national rate of 39%. The rate of rented accommodation was 20.6% nationally. This rate rose to 41.6% in Galway City, and to around one-third in Dublin (35.9%), Cork (35.4%), Limerick (32.4%) and Waterford (31.9%).

Around 30% of commuters in the Mid-East region travelled 25 or more kilometres to work compared with around 6% in Dublin. Reflecting this, 10.6% of commuters in the Mid-East region left for work before 6:30 a.m., while a further 28.8% left before 7:30 am.

The Dublin region had the highest percentage of Non-Irish nationals at 14.5%. At county level, Galway City (17.4%), Dublin City (17.2%) and Fingal (15.6%) had the highest rates. In contrast, Limerick County, Kilkenny and Waterford County had the equal lowest proportions at 7.9%.

Persons aged 15 & over in the Mid-East (56.3%) and Dublin (51.6%) regions were most likely to perceive their health to be "very good" compared with a national average of 46.7%. The Midland (35.7%) and South-East (35.5%) regions had the lowest rates.

The Dublin (35.9%) and Mid-East (30.8%) regions had the highest proportion of persons with a 3rd level qualification. The Midland (22.7%), South-East (23%) and Border (23.4%) regions had the lowest percentages. Nationally, 29% of persons finished their full-time education at 15-17 years of age. The South-East region (34.3%) had the highest proportion of persons in this category, while the Dublin region (25.6%) had the lowest.

In 2007, 67.2% of persons were employed in the services sector. The Dublin region had the highest rate at 79.7%. The Midland (34%), South-East (33%) and Mid-West (31.9%) regions had the highest percentages of persons employed in Industry.

In 2006, the Border (28.2%) and Midland (28.2%) regions had the highest at-risk-of-poverty rates compared with 9.9% in the Dublin and 11.2% in the Mid-East regions.

The average number of primary pupils per school was 144.1 in 2006. The West region (87.3) had the lowest ratio while the Dublin region (260.1) had the highest. Six counties had a pupil to school ratio of less than 100, these were Roscommon (69.1), Mayo (76), Leitrim (76.8), Galway County (85.6), Sligo (95.2) and Longford (96.5). Two counties had a ratio above 300, Fingal (320.1) and South Dublin (302.9)

There was an increase in the number of blue flags awarded from 71 in 1997 to 83 in 2007. Mayo (13), Kerry (13), Donegal (11) and Cork (10) accounted for over half of the 83 blue flags.

In 2005, 88.7% of all households recycled some household waste. The Dublin region (93.7%) had the highest percentage of households that recycled some of their waste, while the Border region (77.6%) had the lowest proportion.


Editor's note


Regional Quality of Life in Ireland, 2008 is available on the CSO web site (www.cso.ie)


The report may be purchased from:


The Central Statistics Office, Information Section, Skehard Road, Cork


Government Publications Sales Office, Sun Alliance House, Molesworth Street, Dublin 2
Price: €5


For further information:


Gerry Brady at 01 498 4201 or Norita Murphy at 01 498 4295.

26 June 2008

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