Following the publication of the Census 2022 yesterday, local Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore has called for countywide investment in community resources in order to meet the increase demand.
Speaking yesterday Whitmore said:
“Today’s census results show that we have had a 9% increase in population across Wicklow. It is always welcome to see our community grow, but we know that increased population means an increased demand placed on services such as public transport, schools and healthcare.
“On transport we need more regular DART and Bus services both within the county and to Dublin City Centre. In addition I have repeatedly called for large scale expansion of local link services both around and between our towns and villages. While there have been some improvements, we are not seeing the large scale system improvements that are necessary to keep pace with the growth in our populations.
Schools are under immense pressure to meet the demand for places and since being elected I have been working with principals all across Wicklow to help them secure accommodation to meet the needs of their students. We need longer term planning from the Government on educational resources so that the schools in Wicklow can be certain of their capacities in future years and not waiting year on year to know what funding they will get or when new builds will be delivered.
“Also according to the latest CSO figures, there has been an increase in our older population here in Wicklow. At the moment we have lots of people struggling to access services they need like a local GP or step down housing/residential care in the county.
“We also need to see a greater investment of public funds into amenities such as public parks, playgrounds and community centres, where we can come together as a community.
“The census is a great opportunity to take stock of where our community resources need additional funding, and where we can be working to improve the quality of living for people across Wicklow. The census data must inform the provision of infrastructure and the allocation of financial resources so that our communities needs are met in a timely fashion.”
