Kildare 2012 - An Economic, Social and Cultural Strategy
A Vision for Meeting Community Needs in 2012
By 2012 we will be a healthy, safe and caring community where diversity is respected and all people are treated equally and participate fully in society
Fostering Social Inclusion
Although
the number of persons on the Live Register between 1995 and
1999 declined faster in Kildare than in either Meath or Wicklow
falling by almost 45%, there remains a significant minority
of people living below the poverty line and on low incomes.
Pockets of long-term unemployment persist with just over 3,000
people claiming unemployment payments and 26.4% of the population
holding medical cards in the year 2000.
There is also a range of specific groups experiencing social exclusion each with their own particular accommodation and social needs:
- One-parent families who made up 10.7% of the county population in 1996
- People with disabilities who account for an estimated 10% of the population - 13,500 people in 1996
- 48 Traveller families who live permanently in the county
and a further 29
families living by the roadside, as of September 2001 - Homeless people for whom Kildare County Council provided 56 hostel beds and housing for five families in Bed and Breakfasts during 2000
- Refugees and Asylum Seekers are a new and growing group in our society with approximately 180 receiving Direct Provision in Magee Barracks, Kildare town and a further number of people living throughout the county
- Older people, a group often forgotten in a county with such a young population, where in 1996 just over 25% of all persons aged over 65 were living alone, the majority of them living in the most rural of areas, isolated from neighbours and services
A range of supports for socially excluded groups and for promoting community development are active in the county. Statutory providers, local development agencies and a number of voluntary organisations operate in the county to represent the needs of excluded groups. However, given the range of groups at the margins of society and other groups who are not as visible in our communities, it is important that any strategy for the future development of the county has the needs of these groups and individuals at its heart.
Goal 1 - To foster social inclusion in the county
In fostering social inclusion, we will:
- reduce the level of social exclusion in the county
- reduce the amount of poverty in the county
- create awareness of and accept new cultures in the county
Access to Quality Services
Given the huge influx of new residents, demand for public and social services has greatly increased. This is placing huge pressure on services designed to cater for lower levels of population and now grappling to meet the demands of the public. New areas are being developed and local communities are expanding in size without a complementary roll-out of services meaning that local access to services is not available to all. Expansion in social services is required for the general public but also for the increasing numbers of groups experiencing exclusion and inequality of access due to the pace and rate of economic and social change.
Goal 2 - To enable all residents, regardless of income, age, social or ethnic background, to have equality of access to quality services.
In achieving this goal, we have to:
- improve access to good quality services
- promote co-ordination and co-operation in the planning and delivery of services
- promote awareness of the services of public bodies.
A
Healthy Community
Surprisingly health did not arise as a particularly strong issue for people in consultation for this Strategy. Health promotion rather than remedial care and local access to services was the focus of discussion. A number of specific issues also arise due to the changing nature of communities and the changing population of the county.
The age profile of the county, with a very young population, means that health and social education are increasingly important. The changing lifestyles of people in the county who spend more and more time commuting, less time with families and in recreation means that lifestyles are becoming less active and points to the possibility of a less healthy public in the future.
Goal 3 - To improve the health of the community
In order to achieve this goal we need to:
- increase access to quality health services
- address public health issues
- promote health education and healthy lifestyles activities
A Safe Community
The safety of the community is protected by 228 Gardaí serving out of 14 stations in the county and by emergency services provided by 60 Kildare Fire Service fire fighters and the Eastern Health Board's fleet of 50 ambulances. While overall, the ratio of Gardaí to civilians is 1 per 640 people, some areas experience lower levels of service than others. The fear and incidence of crime in rural areas is perceived to have increased. This is due, in part, to increasing isolation of rural dwellers through higher levels of one-off rural housing and the continuing incidence of traffic accidents on rural roads. Apart from Garda services, the role of communities in decreasing fear of crime and decreasing the danger on our roads needs to be examined. The roll out of Neighbourhood Watch, and related co-operative measures between the community and voluntary sector and the Gardai, is particularly important in this regard.
Goal 4 - To create a safe community
In creating a safe community, we have to:
- reduce the fear and amount of crime in the county
- make people feel safer and less vulnerable in rural areas
An Integrated Community
In 1996, just over 53% of Kildare’s residents had been born outside the county, with 26% born in Dublin, 21% in other counties and 6.5% born outside of Ireland. This situation has undoubtedly changed since the last Census in 1996, given the improved economic climate which has attracted many non-Irish nationals and returning Irish emigrants with non-Irish national spouses and children. These changes and the influx of new residents have altered the nature of our local communities, expanding once small communities and sometimes creating tensions between new and long-established residents.
Changing lifestyles are decreasing the amount of interactions between people in local communities and between families themselves. These challenges must be met through this 10 year Strategy.
Goal 5 - To create an integrated sense of community
In working towards this goal, we need to:
- promote social integration across generations, within families and with new residents
- reduce the negative effect of consumerism on communities
Community Participation
43% of community groups in the county experience a lack of volunteers. This is one indication that participation in local community activities is declining. Changing lifestyles, the lack of community facilities and the lack of opportunities for interaction have all contributed to this situation.
Goal 6 - To foster and encourage community participation
In order to achieve this goal, we have to:
- increase participation in community development activities
- increase the provision of community facilities
Encouraging Systems of Good Governance
Local
election turnout has been decreasing since the 1979 elections
and was 6.5% lower than the national average in the last local
elections. This fact,
combined with decreasing volunteerism indicates that commitment
among residents towards their local community and civic responsibility
is decreasing
in the county.
Consultation with community groups and with young people also indicated a certain lack of trust in government and some dissatisfaction with statutory providers. Responsibility for improving these relationships and enhancing the sense of civic responsibility needs to be shared if governance is to be improved over the period of this Strategy.
Goal 7 - To encourage systems of good governance
In working towards achieving this goal, we need to:
- improve trust in local government
- enable citizens to have a more meaningful role in decision-making
Supporting the Local Community & Voluntary Sector
Through the CDB process, the reform of local government through Strategic Policy Committees as well as other government and local development initiatives, a more meaningful role in decision and policy making has been given to the Community and Voluntary Sector. At the same time the sector is experiencing a decline in volunteerism making it less representative of the wider community. The Community and Voluntary Sector needs to be supported in order to assist and strengthen it in its new role.
Goal 8 - To support the further development of the local Community & Voluntary Sector
In achieving this goal, we will:
- reverse the decline in volunteerism through promoting, maximising and recognising volunteer work
- develop new ways to support and resource the local Community & Voluntary Sector
