National Institute for Regional and Spatial Analysis Working Paper Series WICKLOW at the MILLENNIUM
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National Institute for Regional and Spatial Analysis NIRSA Working Paper Series No. 9 August 2001 WICKLOW AT THE MILLENNIUM – A spatial analysis of development patterns Prepared for WICKLOW COUNTY DEVELOPMENT BOARD By Jim Walsh and Mary O’Brien NIRSA National University of Ireland, Maynooth, Maynooth, Co. Kildare Ireland Acknowledgements This Report has been prepared for Wicklow County Development Board to assist it in the preparation of a Strategy for Economic, Social and Cultural Development for the County. The National Institute for Regional and Spatial Analysis (NIRSA) at NUI Maynooth acknowledges the support received from the staff of Wicklow County Development Board who helped to coordinate much of the data collection. We thank all the units of Wicklow County Council who supplied data for the report. Additional data for which we are very grateful came from many statutory agencies and community/voluntary organisations. We hope that the report will be of assistance to all organisations and individuals with an interest in the future development of county Wicklow. Jim Walsh Mary O’Brien The principal authors were assisted by Gerry Boyle, Bridget Feeney, Chris Mannion and Mary McGinley. 2 Table of Contents 1. INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................... 1 2. DEMOGRAPHY ...................................................................................................................................... 4 2.1 POPULATION DISTRIBUTION AND CHANGE............................................................................................ 4 2.2 TOWNS AND VILLAGES.......................................................................................................................... 6 2.3 MIGRATION ........................................................................................................................................... 7 2.4 AGE STRUCTURE AND DEPENDENCY RATIOS ........................................................................................ 7 3. THE LABOUR FORCE........................................................................................................................... 9 3.1 PARTICIPATION RATES......................................................................................................................... 10 3.2 SECTORAL EMPLOYMENT PATTERNS ................................................................................................... 10 3.3 UNEMPLOYMENT................................................................................................................................. 12 3.4 ECONOMIC DEPENDENCY .................................................................................................................... 12 4. THE ECONOMY ................................................................................................................................... 13 4.1 AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY AND FISHERIES.......................................................................................... 13 4.2 MANUFACTURING AND INTERNATIONALLY TRADED SERVICES .......................................................... 15 4.3 SERVICES ............................................................................................................................................ 19 5. THE SOCIAL CONTEXT..................................................................................................................... 19 5.1 EDUCATION ......................................................................................................................................... 20 5.2 SOCIAL CLASSES ................................................................................................................................. 21 5.3 SOCIAL INCLUSION.............................................................................................................................. 22 5.3.1 Long-term unemployment............................................................................................................ 22 5.3.2 Elderly persons living alone........................................................................................................ 23 5.3.3 Lone parent families with young children ................................................................................... 23 5.3.4 Persons with a disability.............................................................................................................. 23 5.3.5 Access to Childcare facilities....................................................................................................... 23 5.3.6 Travellers..................................................................................................................................... 24 5.3.7 Asylum Seekers ............................................................................................................................ 24 5.3.8 Homeless Persons........................................................................................................................ 24 5.4 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT............................................................................................................... 24 6. QUALITY OF LIFE............................................................................................................................... 25 6.1 HOUSING ............................................................................................................................................. 26 6. 2 QUALITY OF THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT ........................................................................................ 27 6.3 THE CULTURAL HERITAGE ................................................................................................................... 28 6.4 AVAILABILITY OF HEALTH SERVICES AND OTHER FORMS OF SOCIAL SUPPORTS AND PROTECTION ...... 29 6.5 RECREATION AND LEISURE FACILITIES ................................................................................................ 31 6.6 PARITY OF ACCESS TO INFORMATION .................................................................................................. 31 7. SUPPORTING INFRASTRUCTURE.................................................................................................. 31 7.1 TRANSPORT......................................................................................................................................... 31 7.1.1 Roads........................................................................................................................................... 31 7.1.2 Rail and Bus Services .................................................................................................................. 32 7.1.3 Sea transport ............................................................................................................................... 34 7.2 ENVIRONMENTAL INFRASTRUCTURES ................................................................................................. 34 7.3 ELECTRICITY....................................................................................................................................... 35 7.4 NATURAL GAS .................................................................................................................................... 36 7.5 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY............................................................................................................... 36 8. SYNTHESIS............................................................................................................................................ 37 8.1 THE INDICATORS ................................................................................................................................. 37 iii 8.2 THE SUMMARY MAP OF AREA TYPES.................................................................................................... 37 8.2.1. Peri-urban areas ........................................................................................................................ 38 8.2.2. Very strong rural areas .............................................................................................................. 38 8.2.3. Strong agricultural areas undergoing adjustment...................................................................... 38 8.2.4 & 8.2.5 Weak rural areas ............................................................................................................ 38 8.2.6 Highly diversified rural areas ..................................................................................................... 39 9. SUMMARY............................................................................................................................................. 40 List of Tables …...…………………………………………………………………………………..iv List of Figures ………………………………………………………………………………………..v List of Maps .…..…………………………………………………………………………………..vi iv List of Tables Table 1: Output and Income indices............................................................................................................... 3 Table 2: Private Households by Aggregate Urban and Aggregate rural districts ......................................... 4 Table 3: Population Number By County, Urban Area and Rural District ..................................................... 5 Table 4: Population of principal towns and changes since 1986, County Wicklow....................................... 6 Table 5: Age profile and Dependency ratios, 1996.......................................................................................