Connacht Tribune
Census finds average age in Galway up by more than a year
Galwegians are getting older – but we’re still not ageing as quickly as neighbouring counties.
A breakdown of Census 2016 figures has revealed that the average age in Galway rose to 37.5 years – only slightly above the national average of 37.4 years, which was up 1.3 years since 2011.
In Galway City, the average age was a much younger 35.9 – up from 34.6 years five years ago, according to the report by the Central Statistics Office.
Galway City residents were on average 2.7 years younger than those in rural areas. That was a greater discrepancy than the national trend – the average age in rural areas was 2.4 years higher than that in urban areas.
However, the county was still enjoying a younger population than all its other Connacht cousins – Mayo had an average age of 40.2, which along with Kerry had the oldest population in the country. In Leitrim it was 39.8, Roscommon the average age was 39.7, while in Sligo it was 39.2.
The bordering county of Offaly fared slightly better at 37.2 while the banner men and women were just behind at 38.5 years.
The report on age profile compiled from the last Census revealed there was an increase of 1.4 years in the age profile of County Galway over the last five years.
The numbers in preschool and young adults fell both in Galway and nationally. The county recorded a lower percentage decline in the preschool and young adult age groups than that seen nationally, with 6.1% fewer persons in the pre-school age group compared to a fall of 7% nationally.
The number of young adults fell by 3.9% in Galway but by 6.5% at the national level. The number of adults in the county remained static, while the numbers in the other age groups increased.
Age dependency – a measure of how many younger and older people are dependent on the 15 to 64 year old working age population – was 52.5% in Galway. This was in line with the national rate of 52.7%.
Ireland’s population has been getting steadily older since the 1980s. In Census 2016, 37.2% were aged 45 and over, compared with 34.4% in 2011 and 27.6% in 1986. Almost a third of the population – 33.2% – was less than 25 years old, while 29.5% were in the 25-44 age group.
The Dublin suburb of Fingal boasted the youngest population in the country at 34.3 years.
Females were on average 1.3 years older than their male counterparts.
Among the large towns, with a population of 10,000 or over, Killarney in Co Kerry was the oldest, with an average age of 40.9 years, followed by Wexford (39.4), while Balbriggan (30.8) and Maynooth (31.9) were the youngest.
Meanwhile, Galway West TD Hildgarde Naughton warned this week that the census has shown that the overcrowding crisis at Galway’s public hospitals will worsen in the coming years unless new healthcare facilities are provided.
Figures released this week show that the number of older people – classed as those over the age of 65 – in Galway city and county has increased by more than 20% since 2011, with that trend is set to continue.
Deputy Naughton pointed to a direct correlation between the number of older people living in a catchment area and the level of demand for acute hospital services.
“People are more likely to need health services as they get older, and having an ageing population therefore places additional pressure on hospitals to cater for those who require care,” she explained.
“The census data shows us that while we need to continue to invest in primary and community care, demand for hospital services will increase in the coming years and we have a responsibility to ensure that we put the necessary facilities in place now, so that the healthcare needs of our people can be provided for into the future,” said Deputy Naughton.
The Census shows the number of older people in Galway city up by 25.3% since 2011, while the older population in the county has grown by 18.5%.
“The overcrowding crisis is current and it is real. It will only get worse unless action is taken now to safeguard the healthcare needs of our people for this generation and generations to come,” added Deputy Naughton.
Significant state investment is required to address ‘shocking’ inequalities that leave cancer patients in the West at greater risk of succumbing to the disease.
A meeting of Regional Health Forum West heard that survival rates for breast, lung and colorectal cancers than the national average, and with the most deprived quintile of the population, the West’s residents faced poorer outcomes from a cancer diagnosis.
For breast cancer patients, the five-year survival rate was 80% in the West versus 85% nationally; for lung cancer patients it was 16.7% in the west against a 19.5% national survival rate; and in the West’s colorectal cancer patients, there was a 62.6% survival rate where the national average was 63.1%.
These startling statistics were provided in answer to a question from Ballinasloe-based Cllr Evelyn Parsons (Ind) who said it was yet another reminder that cancer treatment infrastructure in the West was in dire need of improvement.
“The situation is pretty stark. In the Western Regional Health Forum area, we have the highest incidence of deprivation and the highest health inequalities because of that – we have the highest incidences of cancer nationally because of that,” said Cllr Parsons, who is also a general practitioner.
In details provided by CEO of Saolta Health Care Group, which operates Galway’s hospitals, it was stated that a number of factors were impacting on patient outcomes.
Get the full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune, on sale in shops now, or you can download the digital edition from www.connachttribune.ie. You can also download our Connacht Tribune App from Apple’s App Store or get the Android Version from Google Play.
Galway 3-18
Cork 1-10
NEW setting; new opposition; new challenge. It made no difference to the Galway minor hurlers as they chalked up a remarkable sixth consecutive double digits championship victory at Semple Stadium on Saturday.
The final scoreline in Thurles may have been a little harsh on Cork, but there was no doubting Galway’s overall superiority in setting up only a second-ever All-Ireland showdown against Clare at the same venue on Sunday week.
Having claimed an historic Leinster title the previous weekend, Galway took a while to get going against the Rebels and also endured their first period in a match in which they were heavily outscored, but still the boys in maroon roll on.
Beating a decent Cork outfit by 14 points sums up how formidable Galway are. No team has managed to lay a glove on them so far, and though Clare might ask them questions other challengers haven’t, they are going to have to find significant improvement on their semi-final win over 14-man Kilkenny to pull off a final upset.
Galway just aren’t winning their matches; they are overpowering the teams which have stood in their way. Their level of consistency is admirable for young players starting off on the inter-county journey, while the team’s temperament appears to be bombproof, no matter what is thrown at them.
Having romped through Leinster, Galway should have been a bit rattled by being only level (0-4 each) after 20 minutes and being a little fortunate not to have been behind; or when Cork stormed out of the blocks at the start of the second half by hitting 1-4 to just a solitary point in reply, but there was never any trace of panic in their ranks.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
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GARDAÍ and the IFA have issued a joint appeal to all road users to take extra care as the silage season gets under way across the country.
Silage harvesting started in many parts of Galway last week – and over the coming month, the sight of tractors and trailers on rural roads will be getting far more frequent.
Inspector Conor Madden, who is in charge of Galway Roads Policing, told the Farming Tribune that a bit of extra care and common-sense from all road users would go a long way towards preventing serious collisions on roads this summer.
“One thing I would ask farmers and contractors to consider is to try and get more experienced drivers working for them.
“Tractors have got faster and bigger – and they are also towing heavy loads of silage – so care and experience are a great help in terms of accident prevention,” Inspector Madden told the Farming Tribune.
He said that tractor drivers should always be aware of traffic building up behind them and to pull in and let these vehicles pass, where it was safe to do so.
“By the same token, other road users should always exercise extra care; drive that bit slower; and ‘pull in’ that bit more, when meeting tractors and heavy machinery.
“We all want to see everyone enjoying a safe summer on our roads – that extra bit of care, and consideration for other roads users can make a huge difference,” said Conor Madden.
He also advised motorists and tractor drivers to be acutely aware of pedestrians and cyclists on the roads during the summer season when more people would be out walking and cycling on the roads.
The IFA has also joined in on the road safety appeal with Galway IFA Farm Family and Social Affairs Chair Teresa Roche asking all road users to exercise that extra bit of care and caution.
“We are renewing our annual appeal for motorists to be on the look out for tractors, trailers and other agricultural machinery exiting from fields and farmyards,” she said.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App
Download the Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App to access to Galway’s best-selling newspaper.
Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
Or purchase the Digital Edition for PC, Mac or Laptop from Pagesuite HERE.
Get the Connacht Tribune Live app
The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
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