Some 33 different nationalities live in the Doughiska, Roscam and Ardaun (DRA ) area of the city with Irish, Poles and Nigerians accounting for the three largest national groupings. Almost one in eight residents are estimated to be Polish nationals, according to a new report.
The Community Profile and Needs Analysis study - carried out by NUI Galway’s Adult and Continuing Education Office and commissioned by the area’s planning and strategy committee - reveals the large new suburb on the eastern side of the city has experienced the most rapid population growth outside Dublin. The number of residents has multiplied 36 fold between 2000 and 2009.
There are now 2,447 domestic households in DRA with an estimated 7,280 people living in these households.
The area has an exceptionally young population with the estimated average age being 25.1 years compared with 33 nationally. Just 12.8 per cent are aged over 40. A minuscule percentage (0.5 per cent ) is aged 65 years or over compared with 11 per cent nationally. The low numbers of older age groups reflects the relative newness of the area and an associated high influx of younger first-time buyers and renters.
More than 29 per cent of residents are aged 18 or under. This contrasts with the 2006 State average of 25.8 per cent and even more markedly with the Galway city average of 20.4 per cent.
The proportion of children and young teenagers is exceptionally high. More than a quarter are under 15 compared with just 15 per cent of Galway city’s overall population.
Just under a quarter of children in the area are non-Irish nationals while a number of addditional Irish national children are from different ethnic groups. Polish children account for more than six per cent of school-going childen with Nigerian and Zimbabwean children being the next largest non-national groupings. Other non-Irish children of school-going age include British, Latvian, Indian, Lithuanian, Ghanaian, Slovakian, American, Dutch, Estonian and Egyptian.
A defining feature of the population is its multi-cultural make-up, the report outlines. One third of all Doughiska, Roscam and Ardaun residents are non-Irish nationals, a proportion which rises to 42.5 per cent in Doughiska.
There is a very high concentration of lone parent families in this area - 16.8 per cent of households are headed by a lone parent.
A prominent characteristic of the area’s housing profile is the size of the rental sector with more than 41 per cent of households living in private rented accommodation.
Unemployment is higher here than the national average according to recent figures. It stood at 10.8 per cent in late 2008/early 2009. It was highest among builders and trade workers with 16.3 per cent of this group out of work at the time of the survey.
The study highlighted the high level of educational attainment in the community. More than two fifths of adults had a degreee or higher qualification with the number with degrees being more than four times greater than the national average.
“The most striking feature of the area’s occupational profile is the number of professional workers living there with almost two-fifths of adults classified as being in professional occupations, such as teaching, engineering, medicine or social work.
“However, the young workforce is subject to a large degree of job insecurity and there is evidence of mismatch of qualifications and employment, particularly among non-Irish nationals.”
A primary school and community centre are urgently needed in the area, according to the report. Youth clubs, a secondary school, adult/community education, after school facilities and employment supports are also high on residents’ wish lists.
Other priority needs described as important but less urgent were a health centre, additional play facilities, places of worship, a leisure centre, community creche and an extended bus service.
The 22 page study outlines the majority of households surveyed enjoy living in DRA with only a small minority (4.5 per cent ) disagreeing with this view.
“The area’s quietness and its location are regarded as the DRA’s prime attributes. Other key qualities are considered to be the area’s friendliness, personal networks in the area, cleanliness, location on the bus route, proximity to facilities and amenities, a sense of safety and the quality of housing.”
