kathy walsh - employment and unemployment in an irish rural context
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Presentation by Kathy Walsh, KW Research and Associates, Ireland. 9th Annual Meeting of the OECD LEED Forum on Partnerships and Local Governance (Dublin-Kilkenny, Ireland), 26/27 March 2013. http://www.oecd.org/cfe/leed/9thfplgmeeting.htmTRANSCRIPT
IMPLEMENTING CHANGE:
A NEW LOCAL AGENDA FOR
JOBS AND GROWTH In co-operation with the EU Presidency, Irish Government and Pobal
26-27 March 2013, Dublin-Kilkenny, Ireland
9th Annual Meeting
PLENARY SESSION II: LOCAL EMPLOYMENT STRATEGIES IN RURAL AREAS
Kathy Walsh KW Research and Associates, Ireland
Employment and Unemployment in an Irish Rural Context
Dr. Kathy Walsh
OECD Conference
Kilkenny, 27th March 2013
Study Purpose
Examine nature and issues of employment,
unemployment & social inclusion in rural areas
(esp. since 2008).
Make recommendations to address issues
Study undertaken jointly with Brian Harvey.
Focus of this presentation:
Employment & Unemployment
Content
Study purpose
Methodology
Findings
Recommendations
Study Methodology
Use of various definitions/approaches to defining
‘rural’
(including a new approach based on various
settlement size (<3,000, 3,000- 5,000 & > 5,000)
Analysis of the newly-available 2011 census data
and other data
Consultations with key stakeholders
Rural Findings Definitions and Policies
What is Rural?
No single agreed definition (39%- 59% RoI)
Most of us believe we know what it is......
Population density, land use, settlements patterns,
distance from urban centres
Rural Definitions?
Irish Central Statistics Office aggregate rural areas as
a ‘statistical concept where people reside outside
clusters (with legally defined boundaries) of 1,500 or
more inhabitants’ (38%)
OECD: rural if the population is less than 150
persons/km2 and classifies regions as Predominantly
Rural (PR), Intermediate (IR) and Predominantly Urban
(PU).
EU Survey of Income and Living Conditions has 8
sampling categories (from open countryside, towns
under 1,000 to the greater Dublin Area).
Rural Definitions?
> 1,500 too narrow a focus – need an enlarged lens.
What was possible, ultimately developed based on
settlement size (<3,000, 3,000- 5,000 & > 5,000)
Rural Findings (1)
Definitions of rural currently very narrow
Irish rural policy is out of date
Enhancing our future, 1999
Rural initiatives (Rural Social Scheme/Rural Transport
Programme) – but not policies
Need for a statement of basis for rural policy
E.g. Future of Rural Society (Commission, 1988)
Equivalence principle
Rural Findings (2)
Absence of rural policy focus
Many national policies
documents have no rural
sections or only passing
mention
- Action Plan for Jobs,
- National Skills Strategy,
- Enterprise Strategy,
- Ministerial briefings 2011
Absence of rural proofing
‘Rural’ has slipped down policy
hierarchy
Findings Employment & Unemployment
Rural Employment Previously
Main sources of rural employment were:
Agriculture, Natural Resources, Construction (boosted
particularly in the 2000’s), Small scale manufacturing
and Public services.
Economic Crises (2008-)
Unemployment 4.7% -2007 to 14.6% -2012
Long-term unemployment 1.3% -2007 to 8.4% -2012
Substantial out-migration affecting
Under-employment 22.7%, the third highest in the
EU
% young people not in Employment, Education or
Training (NEET) the third highest in EU
Data - Rural Employment/Unemployment
Hard to Locate
• Live Register Bulletins (monthly) measure of
standardised unemployment rate
• Quarterly National Household Bulletin (by sector
to NUTS III level but no rural/urban breakdown)
• Regional Labour Market Bulletins (FÁS)
Need to find ways to apply a rural lens – use CSO
2011 Small Area Census data on unemployment &
labour force participation (with the support of
National Institute for Regional and Spatial Analysis
(NIRSA) at NUI Maynooth)
NUTS III Unemployment Figures (Census 2011)
NUTS III level
Total Settlements
5,000+
Settlements
3000-5,000
Settlements
<3,000 Border 23% 26% 28% 21%
Midland 22% 27% 29% 19%
West 19% 20% 16% 18%
Dublin 17% 17% 17% 15%
Mid-East 18% 18% 18% 18%
Mid-West 20% 25% 0% 17%
South East 22% 25% 26% 19%
South West 17% 19% 19% 15%
• Rural unemployment lowest, • 3-5,000 settlements surprisingly high unemployment in some regions. • Caution: The issue of underemployment not considered in Census figures
Unemployment/Employment Supports
Activation policies and
programmes
Many and varied (Back-to-Work
schemes, Back-to- education courses, short-
term enterprise allowance scheme, Tús, the
Rural Social Scheme, Community
Employment, etc.).
Do not match scale of problem
Have a number of general
problems,(underinvestment, the
prioritizing of control and lack of
progression)
Not adapted to rural situations.
Some issues are more challenging
in rural areas, (e.g transport,
childcare, broadband access, etc).
Employment Policies/Directions
Convergence about what should be done
Between Ireland and Europe
Between NGOs and government
Main activities identified as:
Investment in infrastructure, public services
Green jobs (agrifood, farmer markets, social
farming, organic, etc), low carbon economy
(biofuels, wind, wave)
Targeted assistance for SMEs, micro-
enterprise, social enterprise
Up-skilling right through to upper age range
Rural, heritage, eco-tourism
Employment/Unemployment Trends Ireland lags behind Europe in key
areas
E.g. organics, biomass, nature protection, renewables
Example inappropriately applied e.g. wind
Missed opportunities e.g. heritage tourism, wave, Groundwork type improvements
Role of the state: over reliant on
private sector to create work in rural
areas. Overlooks potential for state
to create work directly & provide
more effective support for SME’s.
Employment Opportunities
Need more effective development of
- Social enterprise (0.68% v 6% EU)
- Apprenticeship training, (only 1,400 places)
Need to re-affirm role of community development
It was a major driver of employment in rural Ireland post
1980’s
Since then, investment fallen 42%, increasing concerns
about its future because of proposed alignment process.
Rural Policy
Recommendations
Rural Recommendations
Definitions of Rural
Need a broader definition of ‘rural’ that values the
close linkages between open countryside and small
towns and villages that service these areas. Need to
look at particular employment needs of settlements of
3000-5,000.
Rural Policy
Development of a new rural vision, setting down the
rationale for investing in and redefining ‘rural’.
Application of rural proofing, enforced by a Rural
Policy Implementation Group
Application of the European policy menu in those
areas where Ireland lags
Recommendations Rural Employment &
Unemployment
Employment/Unemployment
Recommendations:
Better adaptation of activation to the rural, refocusing
resources to intensive support and outreach,
investment in childcare, transport & progression.
Reinvestment in apprenticeships for the new jobs
already identified as appropriate for rural areas.
Investment in the social economy in the rural
economy, with a strategy for its development and a
national support unit.
Re-affirm value of community development. Operation
of European ‘Community Led Local Development
Programme as a global grant (2014-2020).
Thank You for Listening