Socio-Economic Analysis for Cork City
Local Economic & Community Plan 2024 - 2029
Introduction
There are several reasons which make the economic and community development of Cork City in the coming six years crucial not only to the welfare of its own citizens, but equally to the future of the country at large. Cork is a vital motor of both a South-West 1 region that accounts for almost one quarter of Gross Value Added in the State but also, as its largest city, of the formally defined 2 Southern Region. In that context alone, Cork has a significant potential to grow. Cork city’s enviable location and topography makes it an obvious target for further investment, population growth and social and community development. In its combination of scenic river waterfront areas – a rare asset in a European let alone national context - and, since its expansion, strategic inland shoreline, its historic buildings and compact size, Cork City resembles cities like Copenhagen, Lisbon, and Stockholm. Cities that, in recent decades, have been positively transformed.
The expansion of the city’s boundaries provides a highly supportive administrative and policy foundation to realise this potential.
Cork City Council’s excellent track record of engagement with a wide variety of community, social and economic stakeholders provide a representative and effective system of partnership, both for guiding economic and community planning and for implementing it in partnership. Given both the potential of Cork City to grow and also its proximity to sources of wind and wave renewable energy and its waterfront location, Cork City has tremendous potential to become a test case and model leader in achieving sustainable economic urban development and growth, as have several other similarly sized cities across the EU. The relatively high level of households without access to renewable energy suggests that this opportunity is also, at the same time, a challenge. Many of the challenges facing Cork City identified in the analysis below (as well as in consultation feedback during this LECP process) are not just challenges but also opportunities. Socio-economic analysis focuses on economic and social trends necessarily because these are more visible and more frequently reported. But it should also consider hidden potential of the city that is waiting to be unleashed. A clear example of this – relevant to Cork’s status as a UNESCO Learning City – is the potential to address the skills shortage faced by businesses in the city by tapping the hidden potential of a significant young population through upskilling, training, and further education. Likewise, the potential to renovate underused and derelict areas of the city centre presents the prospect of both transforming communities in a sustainable manner and also of reducing costs to business by providing a wider range of possible locations for a variety of business activities. Finally, both the occupational and education profile of the City’s population is highly promising, with a higher than the national average share of those working in the professional services sector and also a higher than the national average having higher level qualifications. A key challenge, as implied above, will be to ensure that there is also access to the needed variety of other skills and aptitudes that are crucial to the sustainable development of the city’s service sector economy. Broader national and regional context might be noted also. In a national context it might be noted that Dublin’s metropolitan and county populations are – as shown in Annex 2 – significantly larger than other EU capital cities except for Paris. And even in the case of Paris, once Dublin County is considered, Dublin’s dominance of the State’s population is more than double that of the French capital. In a regional context the importance of the Cork City LECP 2024-2029 will be pivotal to the implementation of both the current and forthcoming National Spatial and Economic Strategies.
1 Defined by the CSO as comprising counties Cork and Kerry (including urban areas) combined. 2 As defined under the former EU NUTS (Nomenclature for territorial units for statistical) convention. The Southern Region comprises the combined NUTS level 3 regions of the Mid-West (Clare, Limerick and Tipperary), South-East (Carlow, Kilkenny, Waterford, and Wexford) and South-West (Cork and Kerry) including both urban and rural areas of each county.
Data
In compliance with the 2021 LECP guidelines and Local Government Reform Act of 2014, this analysis draws most of its
underlying data from the results of Census 2022, whose results were published between June and December of 2023.
In some cases, 3 , where data is not available to 2022, the most recent available data is used. Some data is provided for
more recent trends during 2023. This latter point is deemed particularly important in the light of a changing situation for
domestic business in the city.
Analysis based on Census 2022 dominates the foregoing analysis as is most relevant given that this data is well designed
to assess medium to long term trends since previous census periods and offers the most cohesive framework for evaluating
the progress of this LECP when the next census is conducted in 2027. The 2022 census data represented in this socio-
economic analysis looks at the city as a whole and does not represent the high degree of variability across the city.
Importantly, averages from the 2016 Census were based on a much smaller city, before the boundary extension. Also, the
2022 small area data and more local profiles will be published by Cork City Council in the coming year and will be
considered when reviewing the LECP action plan in two years’ time. Until then, we are relying on the small area data from
the 2016 census which features in the full Socio-Economic analysis and looks closely at different areas of the city, namely
RAPID areas.
High Level Summary 4 According to Census 2022 the population of Cork City stood at 224,004 in April 2022. This equates to 4.4% of national total
and makes Cork City the 7 th
largest Council in Ireland 5 . It has a lower age dependency ratio than Ireland (45.8% vs. 53.2%)
driven in large part by a significantly lower younger people (under 15) age dependency ratio (24.1% vs. 30.1%). There is a
higher (9.3%) share of older people (65+) living alone than in the state (8.4%). Also, almost one quarter (24%) of
households are one person households. This demographic strength is enhanced by a Labour force participation rate close
to the State average 60% (61.2% in the state as a whole) and an unemployment rate that is lower at 8% compared to 8.3% in the state 6 . Male participation rate remains significantly higher at 66% than the 55% recorded for females. In terms of
the occupational profile of Cork City’s workforce the largest group is non-manual workers (45%), and, within that category,
the share of professionals is significantly higher than the national average (13.5% compared to 9.5%) . Key sectors of
3 Gross Value-Added statistics cited for the South-West region are only available up to the year 2020. 4 Please note that these high-level points are in some cases replicated/repeated further below in the introduction to more specific analytical sections. 5 This compares with a Dublin City Council area of 592,713 and a population of 1,263,319 in Dublin city and suburbs combined. By contrast, Berlin’s population of 3,426,354 million compares with a population of 1,739,177 million for Germany’s second largest city, Hamburg, and Paris’ population of 2.1 million contrasts with a population of 794,811 for France’s second largest city Marseille. Source World Population Review (2024). 6 Note that Census definitions of unemployment result in measures that are higher than the Monthly Unemployment Rate series published by the CSO. The latter recorded a national rate of 4.9% as of December 2023. The Census 2022 data is shown above for consistency with use of Census 2022 for other data.
employment include ICT, Medical services, Pharma, Public Administration and Care/Social Work and top occupations
include science, research, engineering and technology professionals, elementary administration and service occupations,
administrative occupations, business, media, and public service professionals. Cork City residents over the age of 15 are
more likely to have a third level qualification and a degree or higher (30%) than the State as a whole (28%). Some 38% of
the 83,328 households live in rented accommodation which is significantly higher than the national average (28%) Cork is
a diverse city with 1 in 5 of the City’s population born outside Ireland and 15% of people aged 15+ in Cork City stating their
citizenship to be outside Ireland, with Poland accounting for the highest share. Some 73% of households have no
renewable energy source (Ireland 66%). The share of those working from home, at 35%, is higher than the national average
of 32%.
Population and demographics
According to Census 2022 the population of Cork City stood at 224,004 in April 2022. This equates to 4.4% of national total and makes Cork City the seventh largest Council in Ireland 7 .
Economic & Enterprise Development
The South-West 8 region to which Cork City belongs boasts a remarkably high contribution (25%) to the entire Gross Value Added of the economy 9 . This is dominated by activity that is proximate to the city and which influences its economy significantly and is critical to maxmising its high economic potential. This point is elaborated more below in the analysis of the profile of enterprise within the city.
The Median Income in Cork city and county combined as of 2022 stood at €42,764, some 2.2% above the national average.
Over half (55%) of people in Cork City over the age of 15 are at work.
An interesting feature of the city is that fewer people are in work of those aged 15-64 at 65% as against 67% for the state.
Labour force participation is at 60%, slightly below 61.2 for the state and the unemployment rate as defined by Census definitions stands at 8%, just below 8.3 for the state. This demographic strength is enhanced by a Labour force participation rate close to the State average 60% (61.2% in the state as a whole) and an unemployment rate that is lower at 8% compared to 8.3% in the state 10 .
Male participation rate remains significantly higher at 66% than the 55% recorded for females,
In terms of the occupational profile of Cork City’s workforce the largest group is non-manual workers (45%), and, within that category, the share of professionals is significantly higher than the national average (13.5% compared to 9.5%) . Key sectors of employment include ICT, Medical services, Pharma, Public Administration and Care/Social Work and top
7 This compares with a Dublin City Council area of 592,713 and a population of 1,263,319 in Dublin city and suburbs combined. By contrast, Berlin’s population of 3,426,354 million compares with a population of 1,739,177 million for Germany’s second largest city, Hamburg, and Paris’ population of 2.1 million contrasts with a population of 794,811 for France’s second largest city Marseille. Source World Population Review (2024). 88 The Southwest region is defined by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) and comprises of Cork and Kerry combined (both rural and urban areas). 9 Data is for 2020, the latest available period for this variable. 10 Note that Census definitions of unemployment result in measures that are higher than the Monthly Unemployment Rate series published by the CSO. The latter recorded a national rate of 4.9% as of December 2023. The Census 2022 data is shown above for consistency with use of Census 2022 for other data.
occupations include Science, research, engineering and technology professionals, Elementary administration and service occupations, administrative occupations, Business, media, and public service professionals.
Enterprise Profile
Enterprise or “Business Demography” data is only published by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) for Cork County (including the city), but this data is likely to be dominated by enterprise activity within or proximate to the city boundaries and so is interesting and worth noting.
The key points to note from the table below are as follows:
➢ There were as of 2021 a total of 39,573 enterprises in the County of Cork as a whole including the city.
➢ The number of these is dominated entirely by enterprises employing less than 10 persons, making the “micro- business” community extremely important.
➢ However, a relatively small number of enterprises, some 70 in all, accounted for a total of 84,138 in employment.
➢ Thus, the numbers employed in 70 large companies exceeds the 61,147 employed in all of the 36,602 microbusinesses and all those employed by enterprises employing between 10 and 19 persons combined. Many of these are likely to be located in Ringaskiddy just outside the city boundary but with strong linkages in terms of supply chains and in terms of staff commuting from within the city boundary.
➢ In between are two further categories of medium sized (20-49 employees) and large (50-249) firms employing, respectively, 41,709 and 84,138 persons.
➢ The extent of linkages between the larger multinational companies on one side and on the other, large, medium, and small and micro businesses is a vital issue: Improving these linkages can help diffuse the benefits of the high profitable multinational sector throughout the indigenous sector both through direct supply chain participation and the more indirect diffusion of demand from high income employment.
The potential for placemaking and housing development in new areas of the city to attract employees from this sector
should be noted in this regard.
Under 10
10-19
20-49
50-249
250 & over
All persons
Active enterprises
36,602
1,591
881
429
70
39,573
Persons engaged
61,147
21,163
26,024
41,709
84,138
234,181
Figure 1 Enterprises by size and persons engaged in Cork City and County Source: CSO (Business Demography survey (2023). *Data presented is for the year 2021
Recent Economic Trends Since the compilation of the 2022 Census in April of that year the economic environment has changed considerably as a result of both the war in the Ukraine and rising interest rates. In so far as discernible at a county rather than local authority level, some key trends since then are nonetheless noteworthy for the combined city and county areas:
Live Register
While the Live Register does not measure the level unemployment directly, trends in the Live Register do portend changes in the unemployment level. By comparing trends in the Live Register for both the state and Cork city and county as a whole, trends highly relevant to the LECP objectives relating to High Level Goals emerge. ➢ The Live Register is falling across the state (6.3% decline year-on-year last December and by 7.8% in Cork city and county).
➢ This tallies with business stakeholder feedback in relation to skills shortage and a tight labour market with the fall in the Live Register being more pronounced in Cork than in the State as a whole.
➢ It is noteworthy, however, that in contrast with trends for the “All ages” category, the fall in the Live Register for the “Under 25” category in Cork City and County was notably more muted (a 1.2% decline) than the equivalent fall for the state as a whole (a 4.4% decline) and significantly weaker than the fall in the “All ages” category for Cork city and County (a 7.8% decline).
Figure 2 Live Register year-on-year trend in Cork city & county and state as a whole
All ages
Under 25s
State
Cork
State
Cork
December 2022
184642
15326
18832
1339
December 2023
173003
14130
18009
1323
Percentage Change
-6.3%
-7.8%
-4.4%
-1.2%
Source: CSO
New Car Sales
A “bell-weather” of economic development sales of new cars have fallen by 2.6% in the period November 2022 to November 2023 11 , but by a more pronounced 12.7% in Cork city and county suggesting a greater vulnerability to economic
developments.
State
Cork city and county
11 The latest data available at the time of writing.
November 2022
2353
324
November 2023
2291
283
Percentage change
-2.6%
-12.7%
Figure 3: New Car Sales year-on-year trend in Cork city & county and state as a whole
Source: CSO
Education and Skills
Cork City residents over the age of 15 are more likely to have a third level qualification (47.5%) compared to the State as
a whole (44.9%). This includes a larger share of residents with a degree or higher (30%) than the State as a whole (28%).
However, 1 in 5 (21.2%) of Cork City residents aged 15+ have limited formal education (none/primary/lower secondary).
Top occupations are science, research, engineering and technology professionals, elementary administration and service
occupations, administrative occupations, business, media and public service professionals.
Community
Almost 1 in 10 older people (9.3%) (65+) in Cork City live alone compared to 8.4% for the state. Around 1 in 4 households
are one person households (24.4% vs. 23.1% State) and the City has a higher share of households with unrelated people
living in them (9.4%) compared to the State average (5.4%), reflecting a stronger rental housing environment which is also
reflected in, for example, Dublin City Council where 12.7% of households are made up of unrelated people. Around 1 in
10 households (11.2%) are one parent families which is similar to the national average (11.4%). This different household
profile means that there are fewer married couples living in the city (41.5% vs. 47.2% State). Most children (68%) are not
in childcare while: 10% are looked after unpaid by a relative, 8% are in type of paid childcare (family/childminder/au pair)
and 13% are in a creche or Montessori. 10% of under 2s spend 41 hours plus in childcare a week.
Diversity
15% of people aged 15+ in Cork City, 1 in 6 people, state their citizenship is outside Ireland, with Poland
accounting for the highest number (4,178). They account for 20% of those who state they are unemployed. India accounted
for the highest number of non-Irish citizens outside the EU (2,555)
A larger share of Cork City’s non-Irish residents hold a third level qualification, 61% compared to 47% of its Irish Citizens.
The Census also highlights that Cork City’s non-Irish citizens are more like to have a third level education than the State
average at 54%.
% with Higher Level Education (aged 15+)
Aged 15+
Cork City
Ireland
% of all citizens
47.5%
44.9%
% Irish Citizens
47.3%
45.2%
% All Countries excluding Ireland
60.9%
53.9%
Cork City is home to just under 4% of Ireland’s Irish Travellers, with 5.6 per 1,000 population (6.5 average across Ireland).
This equates to 1,245 Irish Travellers living in Cork City out of a total 32,949 nationally.
Health and Disability
Most people, 81%, believe their general health is good or better, slightly lower than the 83% for the state as a whole. There
are 52,964 people (24% of the overall population) with some form of disability of whom almost 2 in 5 (39%) would suggest
this is to a greater extent. This means that 9% (20,465 people) of the total population of Cork City have a disability to a
greater extent. Those with a disability to a greater extent are most likely to have problems with:
1. Working at a job or business or attending school or college to a greater extent – 8,914
2. Participating in other activities, for example leisure or sport to a greater extent – 7,926
3. A difficulty with pain, breathing or any other chronic illness or condition to a greater extent – 7,055
15% of people smoke compared to 13% for Ireland.
6.2% of Cork City & County’s population are carers compared to 5.8% nationally. This is up from 4.3% a decade ago in the
2011 Census. Almost 3 in 10 (28.8%) carers in Cork City & County provide 43 or more hours unpaid help per week.
Housing and Connectivity
Just over half of households (56.3%) own their own home (with/without a mortgage). 38% of the 83,328 households live
in rented accommodation, significantly higher than the national average (28%). 24% rent from a private landlord (18%
Ireland) 7.4% have no internet connection (8.7% Ireland)
Environmental Sustainability and Climate Action
73% of households have no renewable energy source (Ireland 66%)
35% of people work from home (32% Ireland)
Average distance to work for Cork City residents aged 15+ is 12km compared to 16.8 for Ireland.
Deprivation
The latest Pobal Deprivation Index 12 which uses some key metrics from the 2022 Census to assess the extent of deprivation across the State, suggests that Cork City 13 is marginally above the national average in terms of deprivation.
There are 89 EDs recorded in the Pobal Index. Of these, 13% are considered disadvantaged and 5% very disadvantaged
while 8% are considered affluent. The 4 EDs considered as ‘very disadvantaged’ are Fair Hill B, Farranferris B,
Knocknaheeny
and Mayfield.
Very disadvantaged …
Affluent 8%
Disadvantaged 13%
Ten of Cork
Marginally below average 19%
City’s Electoral
Districts rank in
the Top 100
most deprived
Marginally above average 55%
EDs in Ireland,
Knocknaheeny
13 th
ranks
across all EDs followed by Farranferris B, Fair Hill B and Mayfield. Most of those are in the Northwest of the City.
12 https://data.pobal.ie/portal/apps/sites/#/pobal-maps
13 Using "old" local authorities from CSO Census period
Cork City’s Most Disadvantaged EDs – Ranking Across Ireland
Electoral District
County
Local Electoral Area
Pobal HP Index 2022 (relative scores)
Deprivation Rank (Ireland EDs = 3,417)
Knocknaheeny
Cork City
Cork City North West
-24.18
13
Farranferris B
Cork City
Cork City North West
-20.78
20
Fair Hill B
Cork City
Cork City North West
-20.73
21
Mayfield
Cork City
Cork City North East
-20.03
26
Gurranabraher E
Cork City
Cork City North West
-19.24
33
Fair Hill A
Cork City
Cork City North West
-18.19
40
Churchfield
Cork City
Cork City North West
-17.87
45
Fair Hill C
Cork City
Cork City North West
-17.31
53
The Glen A
Cork City
Cork City North East
-15.67
79
Farranferris C
Cork City
Cork City North West
-15.44
84
Source: Pobal Deprivation Index 2022
Annex 1 High Level Goals and objectives summary
High Level Goal
Draft Objectives
1.1 To ensure Cork is a healthy city that connects to improve the health and wellbeing of all its people at all ages, reduces health
inequalities and recognises the need for a holistic approach to health and wellbeing.
1
1.2 Create a responsive and resilient city by building strong interconnected and sustainable local health systems that can respond to
local needs and threats to public health.
Valuing Health
1.3 Promote cross-sectoral working to achieve better health outcomes for the city through integrated health planning which addresses
&
the social determinants of health and promotes health in all policies.
1.4 Promote community development and participatory approaches to addressing health challenges that generate models of, evidence
Well Being
based, best practice.
1.5 To support the HSE led enhancement and restructuring of health services in Cork city to ensure access to quality health care for all.
1.6 To create spaces and places for health using a community placemaking approach.
High Level Goal
Draft Objectives
2.1 Build inclusive, sustainable, and resilient communities where active citizenship is enhanced and encouraged for all to participate
2
with a targeted approach to engaging those less heard.
2.2 Build upon existing high level partnership collaboration across the community, voluntary and state and semi-state agencies within
Partnership
Cork city. Enhancing and affirming Inter-Agency Fora, as key vehicles to represent social inclusion, community, voluntary and
Inclusion
environmental interests.
2.3
Prioritising the needs of communities experiencing exclusion.
&
2.4 Demonstrate a commitment to human rights, equality, integration and anti-discrimination, paying particular attention to the
responsibilities under the Public Sector Equality and Human Rights Duty.
Equality
2.5 Strive to develop and implement national policies, strategies and indicators relevant to inclusion, integration and equality at a
local level.
High Level Goal
Draft Objectives
3.1 Sustain the development of Cork as a UNESCO Learning City, using Education and Lifelong Learning approaches to support the
delivery of all UN Sustainable Development Goals.
3.2 Sustain and grow Learning City partnership structures and networks that involve all stakeholders in lifelong learning: Formal, non
formal, and informal.
3
3.3 To empower and enable people of all ages, interests and abilities to participate in and enjoy lifelong learning, the arts and
A City of
creativity.
3.4 To sustain and develop initiatives to remove barriers to participation in lifelong learning and cultural activities for marginalised
Learning &
and underrepresented groups.
Culture
3.5
To optimise and extend arts and cultural infrastructure in the city.
3.6 To animate our city centre, communities and neighbourhoods through art, learning and cultural events, and creative
placemaking.
3.7 To advance the potential of Cork's arts, culture and creative industries, and Learning and Education Services to contribute to
economic growth.
High Level Goal
Draft Objectives
4.1 Invest in & develop Corks city's communications, transport and enterprise infrastructure to support economic growth.
4.2 Support Cork City's innovative ecosystem to develop new ideas, concepts, products, and processes to contribute to sustainable
economic growth.
4
4.3 Continue to work with other key enterprise stakeholders to create an enterprise friendly ecosystem supporting entrepreneurs,
Driving Economic
SMEs, social enterprises through all stages of development.
4.4 Continue to work with key city stakeholders to attract and retain FDI in Cork City.
& Enterprise
4.5 Develop and expand Cork's tourism industry to support jobs and economic opportunities, with a specific focus on maximising
Development
potential of waterfront areas.
4.6 Develop skills base in Cork City to ensure adequate supply of skills available to support economic and enterprise growth.
4.7 Deploy renovation of derelict buildings as a key tool of community and economic transformation.
4.8
Economic Diversity: Support agencies in diversification of economic sectors.
High Level Goal
Draft Objectives
5
5.1 Develop and support structures and partnerships which underpin safety in our city.
A City of Safe,
5.2 A Placemaking approach will be taken to programme policy and planning in Cork City Council.
Accessible &
5.3
Promote local actions for built and natural heritage.
Resilient
5.4
Promote partnership approaches to accessibility and services.
5.5 Support and champion the resilience of community organisation and structures.
Neighbourhoods
High Level Goal
Draft Objectives
6.1 Establish an inclusive climate-leadership culture that ensures our city is resilient and adapts to climate change.
6
6.2 Reinforce community partnerships and ensure that all our citizens are included in and benefit from the climate actions, through better physical and mental health, food, and housing, among other co-benefits.
Leading on
6.3 Eliminate the use of fossil-fuels in our homes, places of work, and in our transport, and help people change to alternative energy sources.
Sustainability and
Climate Action
6.4 Ensure a modal shift to sustainable travel, reducing car use and increasing the use of walking, cycling and public transport, especially for shorter journeys.
6.5 Protect and expand our green space and wildlife and create a circular economy that reduces waste.
The Socio-Economic Analysis for Cork City LECP 2024-2029 was produced by
Octavian Consultants Ltd. at the request of Cork City Council
February 2024
Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12-13 Page 14-15 Page 16-17 Page 18-19 Page 20-21 Page 22Powered by FlippingBook