Swathes of Tullamore remain disadvantaged as affluent areas are named

Large swathes of Tullamore remain disadvantaged according to the latest Pobal index of deprivation.

Those areas that are not disadvantaged are deemed to be either marginally below or marginally above average.

There are few affluent areas in the town and these are named on the pobal maps as being Durrow, Mucklagh, Carraig Cluan and Ballin Ri. The Very affluent areas are Ardan, Kilbeggan Road and Silverbrook Drive.

The whole county of Offaly is described as marginally below average and remains the same as in 2016 figures.

One area described as very disadvantaged is the Clontarf Road, Lann Elo area. The population here is 350. It has a lone parent ration of 36.67%. The proportion at third level education in 2022 was 11.20 %. Unemployment among males was 24.68%. Unemployment among females was 17.19%.

The gap between Ireland’s most disadvantaged areas and the national average has increased, according to the 2022 Pobal HP Deprivation Index which was launched today by Joe O’Brien T.D., Minister of State for Community Development, Integration and Charities. The Index, which is Ireland’s primary social gradient tool, found a nationwide improvement in measures such as employment and population growth, with levels largely returning to those observed in 2006, however persistent disadvantage remains for many communities.

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The Pobal HP Deprivation Index uses data from Census 2022, analysing ten measures of an area’s levels of disadvantage. These include educational attainment, employment status and the numbers living in individual households. Almost 19,000 small areas (50-200 households) were indexed leading to the development of a detailed map of the relative affluence and disadvantage.

Speaking launching the Pobal HP Deprivation Index Minister Joe O’Brien TD said, “This Index provides policymakers and communities with the opportunity to understand where disadvantage still exists in our society today. This information is invaluable as it allows for effective planning and the targeting of resources in ways that have a positive and lasting impact.”