Survey delves into what we are and what we can be

WEST Kerry people are being invited to offer their views on what needs to be done to help their local communities develop and prosper, as part of an extensive socio-economic survey of the Dingle Peninsula.

The survey, which is being carried out on behalf of NEWKD (North, East and West Kerry Development), aims to build a picture of the people who live in West Kerry, their level of education, their work, the challenges their communities face, and how they would like to see their communities develop.

According to NEWKD, the survey “will provide facts and insights for communities, which will be of use in future funding applications and for planning and addressing the future needs of each community”.

One element of the survey, which is being conducted for NEWKD by the Gesera Institute of Action Research, is a detailed examination of the information gathered in the 2016 and 2006 Census of Population. This will provide a description of the peninsula’s population numbers, household and family types, gender, age, nationality/ethnicity, use of Irish language, levels of educational attainment, occupation, and employment status, travel to work times etc.

In the second part of the study, the information gleaned from the Census data will be presented to the public at a series of community meetings to be held across the peninsula, starting in Lios Póil on November 12. At these meetings people will be invited to give feedback on the strengths and challenges facing their communities and the strategies that need to be put in place to enable the community to grow and develop in a way that is economically feasible, socially progressive and environmentally friendly.

In a section of the project supported by MaREI (the Marine and Renewable Energy Research, Development and Innovation Centre), PhD student Connor McGookin will give an outline of energy use in West Kerry and will be interested in hearing people’s views on what the transition to a low carbon future will mean for the peninsula.

Maire Uí Léime, Chairperson of the NEWKD Community Network in West Kerry, said the community meetings offer “a fantastic opportunity for people to have a say about what is happening in their area or to just come along and hear what the information gathered in the Census says about their area”.

“Some communities are doing better [economically] than others. Some areas have an older population while some have a lot of young people. Things like that have implications for a community in terms of its needs and its potential for economic development and we would like to hear people’s views on how we in NEWKD can work with people to make things better,” she added.

Aside from whatever people may have to say at the community meetings, the detailed breakdown of Census information from West Kerry has the potential to be very valuable. “If people have statistics about their community they are in a better position to make demands – for example for particular facilities or services – based on solid information,” said Máire.

More information about the meetings is available from Maire Ui Leime (086 15812180) or the NEWKD office in Dingle (066 7142788).