Chapter 3

Life in Inishowen

3.1 Inishowen: A Geographic and Socio - Economic Profile

Inishowen is the most northerly part of Ireland with an overall population of 31,736 – 15, 807 women and 15, 929 men (Census 2002, Central Statistics Office).  These most recently available figures indicate an almost seven percent growth in the population of the area from the 1996 census, with a density level of approximately 93 persons per square mile.   Situated in the North-Eastern part of County Donegal, the Inishowen Peninsula is uniquely surrounded on three sides by water - Lough Swilly to the West, Lough Foyle to the East and the Atlantic Ocean to the North. At its southerly land boundary, it connects (via the border) with Northern Ireland and Derry, which is widely considered to be the natural social and economic hinterland of the area, and, indeed, vice versa.

A report by the Inishowen Partnership Company (IPC) in 2001 indicated that the mean, or average, deprivation score for the Inishowen area is 9.7, where a top score of 10 equates to the highest level of deprivation; this score is twice that of the national mean factor score.  Inishowen, therefore, is not merely equally as disadvantaged as urban blackspots in cities such as Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Galway, but its deprivation is further compounded by the geographical dispersion of its population.   

In its 2001 report *, the Inishowen Partnership Company outlined a number of the key socio-economic characteristics of Inishowen; reference is made in the bulleted list below to those considered to be most relevant to the current research.

 [* Note: Where possible, up to date supplements and gender breakdowns for these figures are provided in addition to those given in the published report by IPC.  Because the present research was written up before the final publication of Census 2002, it was unfortunately not possible to include all of the most recent figures].  

o Lone parents make up 10.2 % of the population – no gender breakdown is available for these figures, but, in line with the population as a whole, it can be assumed that most of these are women.
o Disadvantaged groups and individuals are, in the main, scattered throughout Inishowen, which increases the difficulties involved in organising and delivering services and activities where needed.
o The labour force participation rate is 52.4 %, with 6.4 % in the long-term unemployed category.
o Female participation in the labour force is reduced due to lack of affordable childcare, with full-time care in particularly short supply.
o Economic infrastructure (telecommunications and transport) in the area is significantly underdeveloped and restricts the possibility of job creation in the Peninsula.  Upgrading of this infrastructure has, in addition, been omitted from the National Development Plan 2000 – 2006, offering little hope of improvement.

o The main employers in the area have significantly downsized their levels of employment
o The range of employment skills is narrow and becoming dated.  Retraining opportunities (manual and trades) are limited or non-existant – the nearest FAS training centre is in Letterkenny, which is over 40 miles away from some areas of Inishowen.
o Over 60 % of the Inishowen population left school before the age of fifteen, and 49 % have received primary education only.  The gender breakdown for these figures, supplied in August 2002 by IPC (from the 1996 Census) are: males - 49.3 % and females - 45.1 %, for primary education only.  In terms of secondary education, 22.7 % of males in Inishowen and 21.4 % of females have attained lower secondary level while 18. 7 % of males and 19.9 % of females have attained upper secondary level.
o Only 10.8 % of people (overall) in the area have received any third level education, representing 13.7 % of women and 9.3 % of men.

 Third level access is limited – the nearest such courses are taught in Derry, Letterkenny or Sligo, making them largely inaccessible to those with dependents.  [See also the following issue of inadequate public transport]
o The public transport system is not adequate to meet the needs of rural residents, making State Services inaccessible to specific target groups.  These groups are comprised of the long-term unemployed, the elderly, people with disabilities, low-income farm households, single parents, disadvantaged women, young people at risk, and ethnic minorities.