Introduction This section is a profile of the Ballymun area based on the 2022 Census and compared to the national data.  Each location where the BJC provides services has challenges, Ballymun is a location experiencing higher levels of unemployment, educational disadvantage and lower employment rates. The higher level of disadvantage tends to be lost in the overall Whitehall/Ballymun data and the data for the wider LAES area.  It is also useful to separate the Ballymun profile as some of the projects and programmes delivered by the BJC are supported by organisations with a focus on Ballymun only. Ballymun A/D Ballymun, located on the north side of Dublin City, was built as part of a large public housing scheme by Dublin City Council in the 1960’s and early 1970’s in response to the significant housing shortages in the city at the time.  Intended as a ‘state-of-the-art’ and modern town, the scheme saw the construction of 2,814 flats in a series of 36 – 4, 8 and 15 story tower blocks – the first and only tower block scheme of its kind in Ireland – along with a further 2,400 houses, all within a 1.5 square mile radius.  Over the years a lack of investment in the physical and social infrastructure of the area resulted in a significant degeneration of Ballymun’s physical environment, and the rise of serious social and economic disadvantage in the area. In 1996, a decision was made to demolish the high-rise tower blocks and replace them with low-rise housing.  Ballymun Regeneration Ltd was set up by Dublin City Council and charged with the task of regenerating the physical, infrastructure of the entire area.  The four ‘electoral divisions’ (or EDs) of Ballymun A, B, C, D. Ballymun A/D: Population The population of the four Ballymun Electoral Division A to D is 18,288.  The population is relatively young with 18% of the population under 15 years of age.  As outlined in Table 2.1 the labour force participation rate is higher than the National rate. Table 2.1: Population, and Labour Force: Ballymun A/D, (CSO: 2022 Census) Population 18,288 Population Aged 15/64 13,139 Population Aged 15+ 14,996 Labour Force 9,638 Ballymun A/D: Employment and Unemployment Table 2.2 shows the employment, unemployment and labour force participation rate for Ballymun A/D and nationally.  The employment rate at 60% is below the national rate while the labour force participation rate is above the national rate. When compared to the other areas Ballymun A/D has a lower employment rate than the other locations across the area covered by the LAES. The employment rate in Ballymun/Whitehall is 69%, Swords 73% and Balbriggan 68%.  Table 2.2: Percentage Employment, Unemployment and Labour Force Participation: Ballymun ED: A/D and National, (CSO: Census 2022, Principal Economic Status (PES) rounding used)   Ballymun A/D National Labour Force Participation Rate 64% 61% Employment Rate 60% 69% Unemployment Rate 18% 8% The 2022 Census shows a national unemployment rate of 8%.  At the time of the Census the rate of unemployment in the community covered by Ballymun A/D was 18%.  This is over twice the national rate and higher than the rate of unemployment in the other areas covered by the LAES with Swords having the lowest rate of unemployment. (See Diagram 2.1) Ballymun A/D: Housing The housing profile of Ballymun A/D is different to the other locations in the area covered by the LAES and is also different to the national profile in that most private households are rented from the Local Authority (See Diagram 2.2). Nationally 8% of the private households are rented from the Local Authorities, in Swords the percentage renting from the Local Authority is 5%.  In contrast in Ballymun A/D the percentage of private households renting from the Local Authority is 41%.  Most the private households are owned outright or with a mortgage. Nationally 66% of the private households are owned outright or with a mortgage, in Balbriggan the percentage is higher at 71%, in Swords 68% are owned outright or with a mortgage.  In the Ballymun/Whitehall area 55% of the private households are owned outright or with a mortgage. This lower percentage is primarily the Ballymun A/D area where private households owned outright or with a mortgage is 28%. Ballymun A/D: One Parent Households As stated above deprivation in one-parent families remains high when compared to people in two-parent households. In comparison to other areas cover by the LAES Ballymun A/D has a higher percentage of households and persons in one parent family household.  In terms of persons in one parent family households (See Diagram 2.3 and Table 2.3). Ballymun A/D at 28% it has over three times the national rate of eight percent and over twice (26%) the rate of one parent households than the national rate of 11%.  Swords at 11% has the lowest rate of one parent households and persons in households that the other areas covered by the LAES.  Table 2.3: Percentage of One Parent Family Households and Persons: Ballymun ED: A/D and National (CSO: Census 2022, rounding used)   Ballymun A/D National As Percentage of all Households 26% 11% As Percentage of all Persons 28% 8%   Ballymun A/D: Education As indicated above, one’s level of education is an influencing factor on a range of factors that determines life chances, income, quality of life, housing, health, etc.  In comparison to the national and the LAES area, (Swords, Ballymun/Whitehall and Balbriggan), Ballymun A/D has a lower level of education (See Table 2.4 and Diagram 2.4).  In the Ballymun A/D area 41 % of the population aged 15 years and over had no formal education completed or only completed Primary or Lower Secondary compared to 25% nationally. This compares to 16% in Swords, 28% in Ballymun/Whitehall and 21% in Balbriggan. At a national level 36% of the population aged 15 years or over had completed an Ordinary Degree/National Diploma or both or higher compared to 17% in Ballymun A/D. The percentage of the population over 15 years with an Ordinary Degree/Professional qualification or both or higher is 36% in Ballymun/Whitehall, 44% in Swords, 36% in Balbriggan and 40 % across the LAES area.  The national percentage is 36%.   Table 2.4: Education: Highest Level of Formal Education Ceased, Ballymun A/D, and National, Percentages, excluding not stated (CSO: 2022 Census)   Ballymun A/D National No formal/Primary/Lower Secondary 41% 25% Upper Secondary 24% 19% Tech/Voc./Advanced, Higher Cert/Apprentice 18% 20% Ordinary Degree/National Diploma 5% 9% Higher Degree/Professional qualifications 7% 14% PhD/Post Graduate Diploma/Degree 5% 13%       Not stated 18% 7% Total (Number) 11,889 3,384,629 Ballymun A/D: Occupation As outlined below in Table 2.5 the occupational profile of Ballymun A/D is in jobs that are low skills and in turn low paid. Elementary occupations and occupations in the Services (caring, sales, leisure, customer) jobs account for 41% of all occupations in Ballymun A/D. At a national level these two occupational groups make up 23% of occupations. In the LAES Dublin North area, the percentage making up the two occupation groups Elementary and Services (caring, sales, leisure, customer) is 24% with Ballymun/Whitehall at 26%, Balbriggan at 25% and Swords at 22%.  Table 2.5: Percentage Occupations Employed and Unemployed: Ballymun ED: A/D, and National, excluding not stated rounding used (CSO: 2022 Census)   Ballymun A/D National Managers/Directors/Senior Managers 5% 9% Professional/Associate Professional/Technical 21% 36% Admin/Sec 11% 10% Skilled Trades 10% 14% Services (caring, sales, leisure, customer) 23% 15% Operators (process, plant, machine) 10% 8% Elementary 20% 8%       Not stated 33% 11% Total (Number) 9,402 2,496,573 Diagram 2.5 shows the top three occupations in Ballymun A/D compared to Swords, Balbriggan, Ballymun/Whitehall and nationally.  In Ballymun A/D the top three occupations fall into the following categories, Services (caring, sales, leisure, customer) (23%), followed by Professional/Associate Professional/Technical (21%) and then Elementary (20%). In Swords LAES area Elementary occupations is 7% compared to 20% in Ballymun A/D while Professional/Associate Professional/Technical occupations is 41% in Swords it is 21% in Ballymun A/D and 40% in Ballymun/Whitehall LAES area. In Ballymun A/D Services (caring, sales, leisure, customer) at 23% is the occupational group with the highest percentage.  In Swords LAES area this occupational group accounts for 15%, the same percentage in Ballymun/Whitehall and Nationally while Balbriggan is 17%.   Ballymun A/D: Industry In Ballymun A/D at 27% Professional Services is the industry type where most work. This is the same as Ballymun/Whitehall (28%) and nationally (24). In Swords (29%) and Balbriggan (27%) Commence and Trade is the top industry where most work. In Ballymun A/D Other industries account for 26% while Other is 17% nationally, 18% in Ballymun/Whitehall, 14% in Swords and 13% in Balbriggan. Overall, the industries where individuals work is like the national and the LAES Dublin North area. (See Table 2.6)   Table 2.6: Industry: Ballymun/Whitehall, Swords and Balbriggan, Ballymun A/D and Nationally, Percentages, (Rounding used. Census 2022 CSO)   Ballymun/Whitehall Swords Balbriggan Ballymun A/D National Professional Services 28% 23% 24% 27% 24% Commerce and Trade 24% 29% 27% 22% 23% Other 18% 14% 13% 26% 17% Manufacturing Industries 7% 7% 7% 6% 12% Transport and Communications   13%   16%   14%   11%   9% Building and Construction 4% 4% 6% 4% 6% Public Administration 7% 6% 7% 4% 5% Agriculture, forestry, and Fishing   0%   1%   2%   0%   4% Total (Number) 25,816 45,740 31,278 7,942 2,320,297   Conclusion It is important to remember that the data outlined above is based on the Electoral Divisions (ED) and therefore will not highlight smaller areas of disadvantage within the ED.  The data does highlight differences in the profile of the areas of Swords, Balbriggan, Ballymun/Whitehall and separately the Ballymun area covered by the ED Ballymun A/D.  Each area has unique aspects to its profile and at the same time the areas have much in common and can differ from the national profile in various aspects.  It will be necessary for the BJC to consider these differences and common aspects when developing specific actions/project over the coming years.  The area in Dublin North where the BJC delivers services and projects is diverse, containing both rural and urban communities.  The area is one that has a growing population which is expected to continue to grow over the coming years.  The area contains many groups that face challenges in terms of their access to the labour market, health, quality of life, etc.  As services and projects are developed it would be useful to design them around the needs of groups facing challenges living in the area.   The focus of the work of the BJC is on employment, career development and related areas.  Given the complex inter-relationship between factors that influence labour market exclusion considerations could be given to developing actions, projects and services while not direct labour market interventions help address the complex factors which inhibit labour market participation.  The data outlined above shows there are groups and areas that would benefit from a more integrated approach.  In an idea situation such an approach should be developed in partnership with others.  This document provides a brief profile of the areas covered by the work of the BJC.  There are many external factors that will have an influence on the future development of these communities such as climate change, developments in technology and AI, housing, immigration, etc. the BJC will have to consider how these are likely to influence the development of the individuals and communities profiled above.