Wexford.... what a depressing read!!

digitallove

An extract from the new draft- Wexford Local Economic and Community Plan 2016-2021.
Makes for a bleak read. Ill post the good stuff too once we've all had a little cry first!

County Wexford-Our Weaknesses
Relative
Disadvantage
• Wexford is the 3rd most disadvantaged local authority in the State and its relative position is deteriorating
slipping from 7th most disadvantaged in 2006.
• The vast majority of Wexford EDs are classed as ’Marginally Below Average’ (80.6%) with the remaining EDs
classed as ‘Marginally Above Average’ (12.9%) and Disadvantaged (6.5%).
• There are 6 ‘Disadvantaged’ EDs in the county-Taghmon, Enniscorthy Urban, New Ross Urban, Wexford No. 2
Urban, Newtownbarry and Ferns.
• The four Municipal Districts are all classified as ‘Marginally Below Average’ with the New Ross MD the most
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disadvantaged and Wexford MD the least disadvantaged.
• There are 128 Small Areas (SA) which are classed as ‘Disadvantaged’ or ‘Very Disadvantaged’. The most
disadvantaged SA is located in Clonroche and others include Taghmon, parts of Enniscorthy Town, New Ross
Town, Wexford Town and Bunclody Town.
• A lot of these areas have considerable levels of overall socio-economic structural weaknesses in the areas of
unemployment, education, lone parents and other key demographic indicators.
Unemployment • Wexford has the
3rd highest rate of unemployed people in all local authorities with only Longford and
Donegal with higher rates.
• In 2011, 24% of the total labour force was unemployed. This was significantly higher than the South East (21.9%)
and the State (19%).
• Spatially within the county, there are lower levels of unemployment in the immediate commuter belts of the main
employment areas of Gorey, Wexford Town and New Ross. Highest rates are most evident in the south of the
county and in more rural areas across the county. High rates are also evident in Taghmon, Clonroche and
Bunclody and in the core of the main towns.
• In total, 9 of the 124 EDs have unemployment rates in excess of 30% including Rosbercon Urban (35.7%),
Enniscorthy Urban (35.7%), New Ross Urban (34.95%), Killincooly (34.2%) and Taghmon (33.2%).
Education • Wexford has very high rates of early school leavers with 18.5% of those who have completed their education
with No Formal/Primary education and 20.7% with a Lower Secondary education. These rates are well
above the State averages of 15.2% and 16.6% respectively.
• In contrast, Wexford has the third lowest rate of third level education in the country with only 20.9% of
those who have completed education with third level qualifications. This is well below the State average of
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29.1%. This is a major concern and will have an impact on both the job prospects of Wexford residents and also
the likelihood of attracting additional high skilled FDI to the county.
• The lack of 3rd level institutions in the county is also a key educational weakness. While nearby institutions such
as Waterford and Carlow IT can cater for commuting students and the Carlow IT Outreach in St Peter’s College
Wexford Town offers local opportunities, the lack of local options results in the loss of a significant proportion of
the young adult population (18-24) in the county.
Socio
Economic
Groups
• Wexford has higher than the national average proportions of its households in the traditionally lower paid and
lower skilled groups. Wexford has the
6th highest number of occupied households in the manual skilled
classification, 11th highest in the semi-skilled and the 2nd highest in the unskilled classification.
• Wexford has the
5th lowest rate in the higher skilled groups.
Employment • The overall employment profile for the county is quite different from the State. It is characterised by a higher than
average dependence on employment in some of the traditional lower end sectors (agriculture, low level
manufacturing).
Large
Employers
• Wexford has a lower than average level of large employers in the county. Employment in large enterprises (>250
employees) accounts for only 14.7% of all employment. This is much lower than the State average of 34.9%.
This is a significant weakness of the enterprise base and is a key challenge for future economic development
policy.
Aging
population
• Between 2006 and 2011 the ‘65 plus’ cohort in Wexford increased by 19.9% (+3,043 people). This was the
highest rate of increase in the South-East region and the 5th highest nationally.
• In 2011, Wexford had the 12th highest number of people in the ‘65 plus’ cohort of all local authorities and
the highest number in the South East.
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• The number in this cohort represents 12.6% of the total population living in the county. This rate is the 11th
highest in the country; it is equal to the South-East figure and above the State figure (11.7%).
• The increases will result in significant demand on elderly services and with this population cohort estimated to
increase to approximately 22% in 2031, there is a need to analyse the level and location of elderly services
available within the county to serve this increasing population.
• While highest rates are predominantly in the south of the county and in more peripheral and rural areas, there are
also very high rates of this cohort residing in the urban cores of Wexford Town, Enniscorthy Town and Gorey
Town.
Dependency
Ratio
• Wexford has a dependency ratio of 54.8% which is the 7th highest rate in the State and much higher than the
State average of 49.3%. This highlights that the county has a very high proportion of its population dependent on
the economically active population.
• Within Wexford the rate can be split into an ‘Old Age’ rate of 19.6% and ‘Youth’ rate of 35.2% which are the 10th
and 11th highest rates in the country.
Population
Decline
• In Census 2011, population decline was recorded in 16 EDs and nearly half of these EDs were within the urban
cores of Enniscorthy Town, Wexford Town, New Ross Town and Gorey Town. The highest decrease was in
Enniscorthy Urban (-12.45%). If this trend continues it will result in the hollowing out of community and high levels
of old age dependency in these areas
• There was very little decline in rural areas.
Housing • The private rented sector in Wexford now accounts for 14.5% of households (an increase of +122%, +4,181 since
2006). As of 2013, Wexford had the highest rate of rent supplement payments per 1,000 private rented
households in the State and highlights the very high dependence on State support for housing.
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• The numbers in receipt of rent supplement for more than 18 months and who are now classed as having a long
term housing need accounts for 63% of all those receiving rent supplement payments. This weakness is further
highlighted by the fact that there are now over 2,000 households on the social housing waiting list for the county.
• With over a third (33.5%) of all households in Wexford built post 2001, it is likely that a high proportion of owner
occupier households in the county are now in negative equity. The average price of property in Wexford
decreased by 57% from the peak (q4, 2006). This rate of decrease is considerably higher than the national (-
49%) and Dublin (-41%) averages.
• According to the latest National Housing Development Survey 2014, a total of 77 Unfinished Developments are
located in the county.
Broadband • Many parts of the county have less than optimal broadband access.

Corvo

Hmmm...first post

*stares suspiciously*

cookie.monster

wexford has the worst roads in the country fact

vicwatson

Too many words

Angry bird

So what's the big plan to turn it around I wonder, besides platitudes that we'll aim to improve all these and actually achieve nothing

allthedoyles

You are relying too much on statistics ...........lots of the above is based on 2011 figures .
Been many changes positive changes since then.

road_high

cookie.monster wrote: »

wexford has the worst roads in the country fact

Back roads (surfaces can be dire) maybe...but the main roads like the N11, N25 and N80 are pretty good and saw a lot of investment in the 80s/90s when nothing was done on other routes around the country.
The Enniscorthy and New Ross schemes will be a vast improvement and boost to the above and will start fairly soon.

road_high

Wexford was/is a strong agricultural county. In the past there was always plenty of work based around this, thus less of a historical leaning towards a third level education compared to say Kerry or Galway where people view/ed education as their only way to move forward and get a job.

The county has huge positives in terms of population growth, infrastructure, location and again a strong agricultural base (we all need food afterall). It's obvious though 3rd level attainment is a big issue, as it is indeed for the whole south east region.

d31b0y

With the completion of the M11 along with rent / house prices in Dublin and North Wicklow, I can see North County Wexford becoming a pretty viable commuter belt.
I moved into North County Wexford recently and I get to Bray within about 40 minutes. Another 20 minutes and I would be in Donnybrook at least.

digitallove

With bad comes good.... at least sometimes. :-)

WEXFORD STRENGTHS
Unique location in Ireland with a rich and diverse geography at the south-east corner of the Ireland.
• With nearby access to the most populated part of the country - the Greater Dublin Area, key settlements in
Wexford have a large population in proximity (280,000 within 1 hour of Wexford Town, 505,000 within 1 hour drive
from Gorey).
• Continued infrastructural developments on the M11 motorway and the N25 will increase potential levels of
accessible populations.
• The location of Rosslare Europort within the county is a major strength and is a key access route into Ireland from
Europe and the UK. It is also a key external access route for goods destined for the UK and EU market.
• Wexford is within easy commuting distance of Dublin and Waterford airports.
Growing
Population
• Wexford is the 13th most populated local authority in Ireland and the population has increased by over 10% in
the last five years.
• Increasing levels in the young age cohorts is a positive sign and suggests a new demographic vibrancy for large
parts of the county in the coming years.
Agriculture • Wexford has a long tradition in agriculture with its ‘Model County’ name emanating from the county’s progressive
farming methods and its model farms. The first agricultural school in Ireland was opened in Wexford in the 1850.
• The agricultural sector remains strong. In 2011, 8.4% of the all workers were employed in agriculture, forestry
and fishing which was significantly higher than the State average of 5.1%.
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Cultural
Diversity
• The ‘non-national population’ in the county continues to grow and this is contributing to cultural diversity. This is
primarily the case in the main urban settlements for New Ross, Enniscorthy, Wexford Town and Gorey.
Tourism • The county has a very strong tourism sector which is a significant and important revenue generator. The county
has a wealth of built, cultural and environmental amenities, many internationally renowned.
• Wexford is the 5th most popular destination in the country for domestic tourists. Domestic expenditure is the
primary source of tourism revenue for the county with Wexford the 5th highest domestic tourism earner in the
State. As of 2013, a total of €107m was spent by domestic tourists in Wexford. This is considerably higher than
any other county in the South-East with Waterford having the closest income at only €49m.
• The number of overseas visitors to Wexford has increased significantly in recent years with numbers increasing
by 27% since 2009. In 2013, Wexford welcomed 229,000 overseas visitors to the county which represented 29%
of the total visitors to the South-East region. Wexford generated the highest level of overseas tourism revenue
than all the other counties in the region with €60m of a total €203m generated in Wexford.
• Wexford offers an excellent and sizeable accommodation base to serve both the overseas and domestic tourism
market. The county has a higher than average proportion of 4* hotels (48%) compared to 36.4% in the South East
Region and 32.6% in the State.
• The strength of tourism in the county is reflected by the numbers employed in the Accommodation and Food
sector. It is a very valuable and sustainable sector in the county. In 2011, 6.9% of the county’s total workforce was
employed in this sector. This rate is considerably higher than the State average of 5.7%. Wexford has the 8th
highest rate of employment in this sector amongst all counties.
Foreign Direct
Investment
• There are 10 FDI companies located in Wexford and while this figure is low, it does compare favourably with
neighbouring counties: Waterford (12), Wicklow (10), Tipperary (10), Carlow (6) and Kilkenny (3).
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(FDI) • Although quite low, employment levels in State assisted companies in Wexford have remained relatively stable
throughout the economic recession and have showed signs of recovery in recent years.
• The FDI companies are involved in five sectors: Medical Technology (3), ICT Hardware (1), Consumer Products
(1), Consumer Goods (1) and Bio Pharmaceuticals (1); all of which offer sustainable jobs.
• Employment in FDI companies has shown no signs of decline and highlights the sustainability of this sector.
Micro
Enterprises
• In total, 91.3% of all enterprises in Wexford employ less than 10 people (micro-enterprises). This is broadly in line
with the State figure (90.7%) and the South-East figure (91.6%).
• Employment in micro-enterprises accounts for 30.9% of all employment in the county-a far higher rate than the
State average of 20.3%.
• The high level of micro enterprises employment in the county highlights the entrepreneurial nature of the business
sector in Wexford. Wexford has the 8th highest rate of entrepreneurial activity in the State.


WEXFORD'S OPPORTUNITIES...

Education • The development of stronger linkages with Waterford Institute of Technology and Carlow Information of
Technology to provide more course and faculties. There are also opportunities to work with other third level
education providers and private education colleges with a view to providing courses in the county.
• The development of improved local bus routes from key settlements in Wexford to both Waterford IT and Carlow
IT would also provide easier access for resident Wexford third level entrants.
• As a result of unemployment there is an opportunity to re-educate a relatively low skilled workforce to provide
better opportunities for employment.
• Given the young population in the county, there is an opportunity to develop a culture of education.
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Older People • The county’s ‘65 plus’ cohort offer a wealth of skills/life learning that could be passed on young people/young
families through mentoring/life coaching.
• County Wexford is signed up to becoming an Age Friendly county. This will offer so many opportunities for older
people and will make Wexford a great place to grow old in.
Housing • The social housing problem in the county needs to be addressed. The response presents the opportunity to
ensure that the design of new housing schemes caters for the needs of the different types of households on the
social housing list.
Facilities • The county’s increasing young population brings with it the need for and opportunities to develop facilities such as
childcare and youth services across the county.
Tourism and
Lifestyle
• The continued development of Wexford as a key tourist destination in Ireland for both overseas and domestic
clients and to maximise the potential of key Wexford tourism destinations.
• Further market and develop the environmental (including rich biodiversity and coast) and cultural assets in
Wexford and highlight quality of life associated with residing in the county, for tourism, and as an attraction to
big/high value businesses
Access • Increased access to key settlements in Wexford as a result of new infrastructural development on M11 and the
N25.
• Further develop Rosslare Europort and maximise the presence of this significant port in the county by targeting
and facilitating industries with export potential that would benefit from being in close proximity to such a port.
Broadband • Potential to improve broadband accessibility to assist higher levels of the workforce to work from home and to
help counteract commuting levels to employment in Greater Dublin Area.
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Gas • The extension of the gas network to County Wexford including Wexford Town and Taghmon offers significant
opportunities to attract industry and businesses to the county.
Urban
Structure
• The county has a strong urban structure with four strong large towns (Wexford, New Ross, Enniscorthy and
Gorey) supported by a network of District Towns and Strong Villages. These provide key and attractive locations
for employment opportunities and for people to live
Retail Vacancy • In Q1, 2014 the retail vacancy rate was 9.8%. This was the 3rd lowest rate in the country. These vacancies offer
opportunities for new retailers to set up business in the county.
Entrepreneurs • The level of mirco-enterprises in the county is a testament to the culture of entrepreneurship in Wexford. There
have been significant success stories in the county and these companies could provide mentoring and guidance
for new entrepreneurs and for second level students to develop and maximise this successful area.

vicwatson

Still too many words

Darkglasses

Wouldn't put much faith in statistics like these. Living quality is largely intangible. Would rather live in Wexford than about 90% of other Irish counties.

To Elland Back

Darkglasses wrote: »

Wouldn't put much faith in statistics like these. Living quality is largely intangible. Would rather live in Wexford than about 90% of other Irish counties.

Only if you have employment, funds and prospects. Unfortunately, I don't think the County can offer that in sufficient numbers to the young people born here

Darkglasses

To Elland Back wrote: »

Only if you have employment, funds and prospects. Unfortunately, I don't think the County can offer that in sufficient numbers to the young people born here

That goes for the vast majority of places really. I probably would have better prospects if I moved to Dublin, but whether I'd actually have more money in my pocket is another matter!

bigroad

Some of the areas in that post are full of a certain type of people that will never work and i bet a lot of them were unemployed during the boom.
Granted the county needs a boost from more industry ,it gets good trade in the summer but come september all goes quiet.
House prices will rise slightly in north wexford with the upgraded n11.
Farming is the only thing around and even that is slow.
,

Del.Monte

The ‘non-national population’ in the county continues to grow and this is contributing to cultural diversity. This is
primarily the case in the main urban settlements for New Ross, Enniscorthy, Wexford Town and Gorey.

How is this something to welcome? Genuinely I want an answer. We no longer know who is living on our streets and many of them come and go overnight. Cultural diversity my hole - we already have enough of that with our own 'ethnic' minority.

Cantona's Collars

Del.Monte wrote: »

The ‘non-national population’ in the county continues to grow and this is contributing to cultural diversity. This is
primarily the case in the main urban settlements for New Ross, Enniscorthy, Wexford Town and Gorey.

How is this something to welcome? Genuinely I want an answer. We no longer know who is living on our streets and many of them come and go overnight. Cultural diversity my hole - we already have enough of that with our own 'ethnic' minority.

I know and am friends with many from other nationalities who are happy to call here home and work,pay taxes and contribute to the area.No problem with somebody moving here with that mentality.

What I don't like is certain parts of the towns becoming ghettos full of Roma gypsies engaged in all sorts,as you said it's bad enough with the Irish 'minority' without these also invading the place.

Corvo

Del.Monte wrote: »

The ‘non-national population’ in the county continues to grow and this is contributing to cultural diversity. This is
primarily the case in the main urban settlements for New Ross, Enniscorthy, Wexford Town and Gorey.

How is this something to welcome? Genuinely I want an answer. We no longer know who is living on our streets and many of them come and go overnight. Cultural diversity my hole - we already have enough of that with our own 'ethnic' minority.

Think you are being harsh here. As Zerks rightly points out, there are plenty of hard working people that have come to our shores. As a nation that traditionally went abroad for work (and still continue to do so) I would hope we would bring something to each place.

Many Irish people contribute much less that the foreign people that now reside here, and have done so for a long time. Namely, our own ethnic minority, as you correctly point out. No one comes and goes over night as much as that crowd...