City of Differences Summary - Cork City Council

City of DifferenceMapping Social Exclusion in CorkCathair na hIlíochtaMapáil an Eisiata Sóisialta i gCorcaighSUMMARYClaire EdwardsDenis Linehan

Key Indicators:POPULATION:There has been a 3.2% decline in Cork City’s population 1996-2002.Since 1986, there has been an 11.6% increase in the number of those aged 65+in the City’s population, and a significant decrease (37.3%) in the proportionof 0-14 year olds, reflecting in part a drop in fertility rate and the location of youngfamilies to outside the City boundary.In 2002, the largest proportion of the City’s population fell into the 25-44 age bracket.However, the age composition of the population differs spatially across the City. Many of theCity Centre DEDs have much higher proportions of their population falling into the15-44 age category compared to outer areas, whilst having relatively small proportionsof those aged 0-14.In contrast, some of the outer wards have younger population profiles. For example,just under a third of the populations of Knocknaheeny (29.5%), Mayfield (30%) and tothe south east, Mahon B (30%) are aged under 15, proportions considerably higherthan the figure of 17.2% for the City overall. These areas also have particularly highyoung dependency ratios (derived by calculating the population aged 0-14 as apercentage of the working age population (15-64)), which in some cases are almostdouble those of the City’s overall young dependency ratio of 24.5% (Knocknaheeny:45.2%; Mayfield: 47.1%; Mahon B: 45.9%).There are particularly high proportions of people aged 15-24 in the DEDs just tothe south west of the City centre, reflecting the high number of students living inthe area, in close proximity to UCC and CIT.In terms of the over 65 population, it is the south central DEDs which have some ofthe highest proportions of this age group, perhaps reflecting the more establishedresidential status of these areas. Over a quarter of the populations of Turner’s Cross Aand D and Tramore A are aged over 65, whilst Togher B, Pouladuff A and B, Turner’sCross B, Ballyphehane B and Knockrea A have similarly high proportions relative to therest of the City.The city centre contains the greatest proportions of people of non-Irish / UKnationality in the City; just under a third of the populations of Shandon B and CentreA are of people of non-Irish / UK nationality. Commons, to the north, and St. Patrick’sand Tivoli A also have high proportions. These areas typically have high proportions ofprivately rented accommodation.

CITY OF DIFFERENCE MAPPING SOCIAL INCLUSION IN CORKwww.corkcity.ie/socialinclusionThere are 860 members of the Traveller Community in Cork City. Blackpool A has thehighest proportion of members of the Traveller Community within its total population,of 7.96%. The adjacent DEDs of The Glen and Mayfield also have higher proportionsrelative to the rest of the City, as do Shanakiel and Bishopstown A to the west andMahon B in the south east.There are 13,791 people with a long lasting health problem or disability in CorkCity, representing 11.2% of the total population. The patterning of disability across theCity varies by age group.1• 23.9% (3,295) people experienced blindness or deafness, or a severe vision orhearing impairment.• 30.2% (4,171) stated they had difficulty in learning, concentrating or remembering.• 55.1% (7,603) said their condition limited them substantially in basic physicalactivities.2• 57.4% (7,911) said they experienced difficulty in working at a job or business.• 35.7% (4,926) said they had difficulty getting outside the home alone.• 24.9% (3,436) said they had difficulty in dressing, bathing or getting around insidethe home.Unsurprisingly, rates of disability increase with age. For example, 15-24 year oldsaccount for only 6.0% of all disabled people in the City; in contrast, 39.1% of thedisabled population is aged 65 and over.In terms of the overall disabled population, the largest concentration is to be found inTramore A. However, it is likely that this is something of an anomaly created by thepresence of St. Finbarr’s Hospital in this DED. Overall, the statistics don’t show aparticularly strong pattern, although it can be seen that a number of north western/central wards have above average rates of disability amongst their populations,including Shandon A, Gurranebraher, Churchfield, Fairhill B and Farranferris B (all ofwhich have rates ranging from 14.9 – 19.5%). In the south, Pouladuff, Turner’s CrossC and City Hall A also have similar proportions.There are 4,954 carers in Cork City, representing 4.9% of the total population agedover 15. More females than males in the City are providing care; 5.7% of allwomen aged 15+ (3,046) are providing help, compared to 3.9% (1,908) of men.HOUSEHOLDS:There are 5,202 lone parent households in Cork City representing 12.2% of all privatehouseholds in the City. Some of the highest proportions of lone parent households are1. These percentages do not total 100% because a person could fall into more than one of these categories.2. However, we do not know the employment status of these people.

CITY OF DIFFERENCE MAPPING SOCIAL INCLUSION IN CORKwww.corkcity.ie/socialinclusionfound in the Northside DEDs. ; for example, 29.5% of all households in Knocknaheenyare lone parent households, as are 28.3% of households in Mayfield. To the south ofthe City, 21.8% of Mahon B’s households consist of lone parent families.Older people make up a significant proportion of one-person households in Cork City.In 2002, there were 10, 977 one person households in the City. Of these,4,253 (or 38.7%) were of people aged 65+. The increase in the numbers of thoseaged 65+ living alone is set to continue as the total 65+ population increases.There are 14,053 people aged 65 years and over living in private households in CorkCity. Of these, 30.3% (4,253) are living alone in private households. Unsurprisingly, thisproportion is much higher for women (37.8%) than it is for men (19.8%).The DEDs with the greatest proportions of those living alone who are aged 65+ arescattered across the southern side of the City, including areas such as Pouladuff,Glasheen C, Turner’s Cross D, and Bishopstown C. Between 55 and 77% of all peopleliving alone in these areas fall into the over 65 age group. This patterning is perhapsnot surprising, given that these areas have some of the greatest proportions of theirpopulation falling into the 65+ age category.31.2% of permanent private households in the City are owner occupiedwithout a loan or mortgage.According to the 2002 Census there are 5,950 permanent private households beingrented from the Local Authority in Cork City, constituting 14.0% of all households inthe City (see Table 22, Appendix A). It Should be highlighted that according to Cork CityCouncil’s administrative records, in September 2003, 7,249 dwelling units were rented by CorkCity Council.18.3% (7,830) of households in the City are privately rented: the majority of these arerented part or fully furnished.Some 8,238 households in Cork City report having no central heating. There is aclear concentration of households without central heating in the most central DEDsof the City, where between 30.8-42% of all permanent private households have nocentral heating. These areas have particularly high proportions of privately rentedaccommodation. Moving out to Blackpool A and Tivoli A to the north and eastrespectively, and to Mardyke to the south west: 30.86 - 42% of all households in theseareas, along with Knocknaheeny to the north west, have no central heating. Theseareas have particularly high proportions of privately rented accommodation, and in thecase of Knocknaheeny, local authority housing. In contrast, the Bishopstown wards tothe south west, and further to the south east, Knockrea A, Ballinlough and Tramorehave lower than average proportions of households without central heating (3.60 – 10.41%).Just over a third (36.1%) of households in Cork City have a PersonalComputer (PC). It is the more affluent DEDs to the south of the City which have thehighest proportions of households with a PC: with the exception of Sunday’s Well A, allDEDs reporting proportions of over 50% of households with a PC are to be found onthe south side.Over a third (34.2%) of Cork City’s households have no car. 25.8% ofhouseholds have 2 or more cars. Again, the greatest proportions of householdsowning 2 or more cars are to be found in the DEDs to the south of the City.

EDUCATION:Trends in educational qualifications in the City show a positive change since 1996: therehas been a 6.2% decline in the proportion of those people whose highest level ofeducation is primary education (a change from 27.7% in 1996 to 21.5% in 2002), and a5% increase in those completing third level education (19.5% in 1996 to 24.4%).There is a distinct patterning of educational attainment across the City. 35% of theCity’s population whose education has ceased, left school at 16 or under. However, theseproportions are considerably higher for a number of northern wards in the City,including Knocknaheeny, Fairhill B and C, Churchfield, Farranferris B and C, GurranebraherE, Blackpool A, The Glen A, where over 50% of the 15+ population ceased theireducation at age 16 or under. A cluster of wards on the south of the City – inparticular, Ballyphehane A, Pouladuff A and B, Togher B - also had proportions above 50%.The south of the City contains more DEDs with greater proportions of people with auniversity degree as their highest qualification, with proportions ranging up to 10% ofthe over 15 population. In contrast, many northern DEDs – in particular Knocknaheeny,Fairhill, The Glen A and Mayfield – have around 1% or less of their populationscompleting a degree; between a quarter and a third of people in these areas finish theireducation at Lower Secondary Level.SOCIO-ECONOMICGROUPS (SEG):There has been a decline between 1996 and 2002 in the proportion of thosedefined as ‘Unskilled’ (from 9.3% to 6.4%) and ‘Manual skilled’ (15.9% to 10.9%),and an increase in SEG A, ‘Employers and managers’ (from 9.1 to 11.7%). In part,this reflects the changing nature of Cork’s industrial profile, which has shifted awayfrom traditional industries such as textiles, food and car assembly requiring manualskills, to more modern sectors including pharmaceuticals, electronics, and servicebased activities (including professional services such as health and education) 33. Cork Corporation (1990) Northside Study; Cork City Council (2004) Cork City Development Plan 2004, Planning andDevelopment Directorate.

Despite these overall changes, there remain spatial inequalities in the patterning ofSEGs across the City. The majority of DEDs in the north of the city have the lowestproportions of people who fall into the ‘Higher professionals’ SEG, where no more thanaround 2% of people are ‘Higher professionals’. In contrast, up to a fifth of thepopulations of certain DEDs within the south of the City – Knockrea B, Browningstown,Bishopstown A and Sunday’s Well A – are made of up of ‘Higher Professionals’. Thispatterning is perhaps not surprising given that professional services (particularly healthand education) are responsible for over half (56%) of employment in the south west4of the City , and that, as the previous section showed, these areas have higher thanaverage proportions of their populations achieving a third level qualification.As with educational qualifications, therefore, we can see a reversal of the patterningwhen it comes to those defined as ‘Unskilled’ (SEG G): the highest proportions of thisSEG can be found in the north west wards of Knocknaheeny, Churchfield, Fairhill B,Gurranabraher E and D: some 12.8 –18.6% of the populations here fall into thisSocio-Economic Group. These areas have high rates of early school leaving, highproportions of local authority housing, and as the previous section noted, havetraditionally been dependent on traditional manufacturing industries for employment.As the 1990 Northside Study suggested, the economic recession of the 1980s andsubsequent restructuring of Cork’s economy around industries requiring a different(and sometimes more specialised) skills base has contributed to a jobs-skills mismatchfor many people in these areas. These areas have also been less able to attract newenterprises/industries, despite the overall growth in employment in the City over thelast few years.LABOUR FORCE &UNEMPLOYMENT:In 2002, 52.2% (53,274) of Cork city’s population aged 15+ were in the labourforce. This is a slight increase on the 1996 participation rate of 51.2%. There is agender differential underpinning this trend; female participation in the labourmarket increased between 1996 and 2002 by some 4.1%, whilst in contrast, theproportion of men in the labour market decreased by 2.5%.The overall unemployment rate for Cork City is 12.4%. It is higher for males (14.2%)than for females (10.1%). The City has experienced a dramatic fall in unemployment ratesbetween 1986 and 2002, from 22.5% to 12.4%, reflecting national economic growth.Despite the fall in overall unemployment rates, Cork City has 11 of the State’s 88 worst5unemployment blackspots, which have average unemployment rates of 24.7%. These4. Cork City Council (2004) Cork City Development Plan 2004, Planning and Development Directorate; Cork CityDevelopment Board (2001) Cork City: Analysis of Present Economic, Social and Cultural Situation (draft).5. Blackspots are DEDs where the labour force exceeds 200 persons and its unemployment rate exceeds 20%, and arehighlighted in bold in Table 6.

CITY OF DIFFERENCE MAPPING SOCIAL INCLUSION IN CORKwww.corkcity.ie/socialinclusionblackspots are concentrated on the north side of the City and include Blackpool A(23.3%), Churchfield (23.1%), Farranferris B (20.1%) and C (20.3%), Gurranebraher A(20.6%), B (20.3%), and E (21.4%), Knocknaheeny (27.3%), Mayfield (23.6%), ShandonB (23.4%), The Glen A (31.4%) (see Table 17). The continuing high unemployment ratesin many Northside DEDs bear witness to the wider socio-economic problems anddeprivation that exist in these areas, including as previous sections have highlighted,lower educational attainment, greater proportions of semi-skilled and unskilled workers,6and fewer employment opportuties in this part of the City.Some areas have a particularly young labour force; in Knocknaheeny, forexample, the largest proportion of the labour force is aged 15-24. Similarly, over 50%of the labour forces of Knocknaheeny, The Glen A, Mayfield and Churchfield are agedbetween 15-34; for Shandon B, this age group accounts for 70% of its labour force.Other areas have a labour force with an older age profile, in particular GurranebraherA and B, where around a third of their workforce (31.3% and 36.7% respectively) isaged 45-65+. This is in marked contrast to Shandon B, where only 14.8% of theworkforce fall into this age group.Some 6,564 people in Cork City state they are unable to work due to permanentsickness or disability, representing 13.5% of all those not in the labour force inthe City and 6.4% of the total population aged 15 and over. The proportion of thosenot in the labour force citing that they are unable to work due to disability hasincreased by 4.7% since 1996. The highest proportions of those unable to work due todisability are found in the north western DEDs.CONCLUSIONS:The report used the Census to map key social and economic indicators across Cork city.The analysis presented recognises that social exclusion is a multi-faceted process,resulting from a range of interrelated factors including low income, lack of opportunity,and a diminished quality of life. The evidence presented in the report shows that thereare substantial, and in some cases, long-standing, inequalities in the social andeconomic fabric of the city.Some key messages about the socio-economic profile of Cork emerge from thedata and maps:1. There have been some key changes in the overall socio-economiccharacteristics of Cork in the period 1996 to 2002. The most notable economic trend6. Cork City Council (2004) Cork City Development Plan 2004, Planning and Development Directorate.

CITY OF DIFFERENCE MAPPING SOCIAL INCLUSION IN CORKwww.corkcity.ie/socialinclusionhere is the decline in unemployment, which has fallen by around 8% between1996-2002. The dynamics of labour market participation have also changed, with anincreasing proportion of women now in employment. Simultaneously, there has alsobeen an increase in the proportion of people who are unable to work due to illness/disability. In terms of socio-economic status, there has been a small increase in theproportions of the population who fall into the higher Socio-Economic Groups(Employers and managers, higher professionals, for example), and a decline in theproportion of manual skilled and unskilled Socio-Economic Groups, reflecting changesin the structure of the city’s industrial economy. In educational terms, there has beena 6.2% decrease in the proportion of the population who finish school at primaryeducation level (or have no formal education at all), and an increase in thosecompleing a degree or higher level of education.2. Despite these changes in the city, there are still considerable spatial inequalitiesin Cork, many of which focus around the north/south distinction and have beenwell-documented. For example, it is the wards on the north of the city: for example,Knocknaheeny, Gurranebraher, Mayfield, The Glen A - which have the highest rates ofunemployment, the greatest proportion of their populations leaving school at LowerSecondary level, and above average proportions of unskilled workers. The north-westof the city also has higher proportions of people who cannot work due to disability: overtwenty five percent of those who are not in the labour force in this area (as opposedto thirteen percent for the city as a whole) are unable to work due to a permanentillness or disability. There are some areas on the southside of the city, such as MahonB and Togher, which should be noted as having higher than average rates of thesecriteria, but it is the wards of the northside which more stand out as moreconsistently disadvantaged across a range of indicators.3. In the period 1996-2002, when there was a 12.3% increase in the nationalpopulation, Cork City's population decreased at a rate of 3.2 %. The context of theselow levels of population growth plays a key role in shaping the socio-economic profileof the city. Firstly, emigration during the 1980s and 1990s removed a significantproportion of the population from the city who would now be expected to startingfamilies. Secondly, younger peopleand families on medium incomes have increasinglylocated to less expensive housing in areas in County Cork because they are priced outof the city's housing market. Thirdly, the high value of property prices has increasedthe reliance on social housing and the mobility of people on low income hasbeenreduced in relative terms. Fourthly, in several inner city wards, a significantpercentage of the population are living in private rented accommodation. Theseapartments serve a diverse group of people. Some tenants are transient such asstudents and young workers, but these apartments are also home to single parents,immigrants, the unemployed, welfare clients and the working poor. One potential riskof this urban development scenario is the further exclusion of low income householdsand a further consolidation of the inequalities in the city. Current development anddemographic trends suggest that Cork City will be increasingly inhabited by relativelywealthy home owners, the relatively poor in public or private rented accommodation,with people on medium incomes living outside the city's boundaries. Urbanregeneration and the development of public services are important initiatives that willhelp address these trends and ensure that people on low incomes benefit tangibly fromeconomic growth.