Donie's Friday news Blog update

Ireland’s last Census shows a country very much changed while yet still rooted in tradition 

A lot has changed, yet so much is strikingly familiar about Ireland.

         

The census results for 2011 reveal a country of contrasts. Dublin’s commuter belt has grown rapidly and our population is more diverse than ever, but Ireland remains a predominantly Catholic country rooted in tradition, where marriage is enduringly popular and the nuclear family is resilient.

Overall, the census shows the population reached 4.6 million in April 2011, the highest level in 150 years. Population growth has been surprisingly high despite emigration and the economic downturn, driven mainly by an extraordinarily high birth rate with more than 70,000 births per year.

In fact, the natural increase – the number of births minus deaths – is the highest on record for any previous census.

All of this is good long-term news for the future of the country. With fewer dependent older people, Ireland contrasts favorably with other European neighbours that face the prospect of decreasing populations and higher levels of dependents in the years ahead.

It will doubtless pose a headache for the State in providing sufficient health, education and social services. But the long-term benefits are likely to outweigh any short-term challenges.

Most of this new population growth is concentrated in the ever-widening commuter belt outside the capital. Laois had the fastest-growing population of any county (up 20 per cent), more than twice the growth rate for the country as a whole. Other areas of rapid growth included Cavan, Fingal (both 14 per cent), Longford and Meath (both 13 per cent). Leinster now accounts for some 55 per cent of the entire population.

In fact, the population shrank in Limerick city (down 5 per cent) and Cork city (down 0.4 per cent), while only modest growth was recorded in other cities.

The extent to which the country’s development is so heavily tilted towards the greater Dublin area highlights the chasm between rhetoric about balanced regional development and the reality.

The make-up of the Irish population today is starkly different to anything seen in previous reports, with more nationalities, languages and ethnicities than ever before. Ethnic diversity is now an established fact of Irish life rather than a passing trend that will be reversed by the chill winds of the recession.

The number of non-Irish nationals increased by almost a third since the last census in 2006 and now account for 12 per cent, or 544,360 of the population. For the first time, there are more Poles (122,600) than UK nationals (112,300). In fact, the Polish, Romanian and Indian communities doubled in size, while Lithuanian and Latvian ones increased by about 50 per cent.

At a time of such much social change, many expected to see similar changes to the traditional Irish family. With the Catholic Church under pressure as never before, many expected that a younger generation would begin to shun many of the defining characteristics of Irish families. But the marital family still accounts for the vast majority – 70 per cent – of all family units.

Some of the biggest increases in family units were among husbands and wives with children who made up almost half of all families last year.

Some 84 per cent of people declared themselves Roman Catholic, a increase of almost 5 per cent. This return to traditional values was driven mostly by Poles and other Europeans.

Change is knocking on the door, though not as loudly as we might have expected. The number of cohabiting couples increased to 143,000 – an increase of just under 18 per cent – but at a slower rate than in previous years. They account for just 10 per cent of families in Ireland. In many cases, co-habitation is a precursor to marriage, particularly once children come along.

We now know that many of the changes in Irish family life – cohabitation, getting married later in life – aren’t necessarily disrupting the ways of old. Instead, many are simply postponing the more traditional form of family until later in life.

It’s a time of flux which can throw out confusing and sometimes contradictory findings.

“People are waiting longer to marry, set up house and have children, and the sequencing of those transitions is no longer as ordered or closely scheduled as in the past,” according to Dr Jane Gray, head of sociology at NUI Maynooth.

Against this backdrop of tradition, there is also a new-found confidence among those who have barely featured in many previous population counts: same-sex couples.

The number of same-sex cohabitants almost doubled, up from just under 2,100 in 2006 to just over 4,000 in 2011. Back in 1996, the census recorded just 150 same sex couples.

This upbeat snapshot of the country couldn’t come at a better time. There have been many reasons over recent years to fear for the future of the country. The figures that reveal the details of our growing population are much more than simple statistics. They are a powerful sign of the health and vibrancy of a country, and offer a glimpse of rebirth and renewal around the corner.

8% Increase in burglaries and fraud in Ireland for 2011 on the previous year

     

Central Statistics Office figures showed burglary and fraud are on the rise

Burglaries and fraud are both on the rise, according to the latest official figures.

Last year saw an almost 8% jump in the number of burglary and related cases reported to the gardai compared with the previous year.

Over the same period there was also a significant surge in investigations launched into fraud and deception – up more than 6%, from 4,996 in 2010 to 5,311 in 2011.

However apart from a very slight (0.1%) increase in thefts, there was a decrease in all other major categories of crime, the latest Central Statistics Office report shows.

There was an almost 30% drop in the number of killings, including murder and manslaughter, down to 63 from 89 the previous year.

Attempts or threats to murder, along with assaults and harassment, dipped more than 6% while drug offences were down more than 11%. Kidnapping offences also plunged by more than 22%, the recorded crime figures show.

Justice Minister Alan Shatter claimed the figures showed a substantial achievement for law enforcement and crime prevention in Ireland but he accepted there was concern about the rising number of burglary and fraud offences.

“The increase in burglary and some other property offences emphasises the importance of vigilance and effective crime prevention,” he said. “The Garda Commissioner has advised me of action being taken to target those responsible for the increase in burglaries and to bring them before the courts and he has my full support in the initiatives under way. It is, of course, also important that the general public puts into practise the excellent crime prevention advice provided by the Gardai.”

Mr Shatter said the drop in the murder rate was partly down to a reduction in the number of gangland killings last year. The minister linked the decrease to new anti-gangland measures.

He said the overall figures were encouraging and showed that the Garda authorities are making good use of their resources, despite public spending cutbacks.

Clamping fines to rise in Ireland and the worst offenders to pay more if new proposals are passed

    

Motorists will be hit with bigger fines depending on how badly they have flouted parking rules under proposals to overhaul the clamping industry.

Drivers who fail to pay and display and those parking in a disabled space without a permit face paying extra.

A standardised penalty system for councils and private clamping companies — as well as a national appeal system — are also recommended.

Oireachtas Transport Committee chair Ciaran Lynch said yesterday that drivers who parked in a disabled bay when they were not entitled to, or those who didn’t pay and display would face the higher fines.

Mr Lynch suggested clamp release rates should vary from €60 to €140, and predicted the new laws could be in force by the end of the year.

Dublin City Council’s clamping penalty is €80, but fees on private property can rise to more than €100.

Rates: The committee has set out 38 recommendations to overhaul the industry.

Some of the main recommendations include: 

1. There should be national minimum and maximum release fees, but local authorities and private operators would jointly decide the same rates within that band for each county.

1. To clamp a vehicle, an operator must be licenced and registered.

1. Clamping should be banned in hospitals.

1. Maintain a register of licenced clamping operators.
2. Introduce a two-tier appeals process, dealing with the operator in the first instance before moving to a national, independent Parking Appeals Officer.

1. Details of the appeal process should be available when handed a fine.

1. If a clamp is not fully fitted by the time a driver returns to the car, the vehicle should be released.

1. Clamping signage should be bilingual and uniform in size, colour, shape and lettering.

1. Provide means of payment other than credit or debit card.

 AA spokesman Conor Faulkner said they were very satisfied with the proposals.

“The thrust of what they’re saying is sound, which is clampers become regulated and operate under licence,” he said.

A spokesman for Transport Minister Leo Varadkar said departmental officials would work on the legislation as a priority.

However, he would not comment on when it could become law, saying it depended on the agenda of the Dail.

Dirty dishcloths contain E-coli & can be very dangerous to use

It’s official – nothing in your house is safe anymore?

   

A dirty dish cloth and what Ecoli looks under the microscope.

New research has revealed that even the humble dishcloth can damage your health, and if not cleaned properly it can be a source of food poisoning.

A survey published by Safefood, the food safety body, has shown that more than a quarter (27%) of all household dishcloths are contaminated by the raw meat bacteria E.Coli.

Also, listeria was found to be present on around 14% of 200 household dishcloths analysed as part of the research.

The research was undertaken as part of a campaign by Safefood to raise consumer awareness about food poisoning dangers from bad kitchen hygiene habits.

The Safefood research also found that soaking dishcloths in bleach or washing them by hand is no guarantee that they will be bacteria free.

The safety body says a damp dishcloth can serve as a breeding ground for bacteria, especially if they are left folded overnight to dry. “Using it again before properly cleaning means bacteria can spread to other surfaces in the kitchen.”

It said washing dishcloths in a washing machine or boiling them in water for 15 minutes is the most effective way to properly clean them.

Safefood warns that you should replace a dishcloth immediately with a clean one if you have used to to wipe up after raw meat, poultry or vegetables.

It also says if there is a noticeable smell from your dischcloth, then it’s definitely time to change it. Safefood recommends you wash your dishcloths every two days.