Latest news with #Census2022
Irish Independent
31-07-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
Meath assigned housing targets under National Planning Framework
The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage published a National Planning Framework implementation setting out new housing growth requirement guidelines for planning authorities. Under the new guidelines, Meath County Council is expected to deliver 2,942 new homes annually from 2025 to 2034, followed by 1,362 homes per year from 2035 to 2040 — bringing the total housing requirement to over 36,000 units by 2040. The local authority said they have commenced work immediately on an implementation plan. The council will now assess key development areas, review variation timelines for local plans, and consider infrastructure needs to support this level of growth. Engagement with Elected Members is also underway to ensure alignment and accountability throughout the process. As of May 2025, there were 2,945 homes under construction in the county. Meath also recorded the highest number of residential commencements in the Eastern and Midlands Region during Q1 2025, highlighting its growing contribution to national housing delivery. Census 2022 figures further underscore Meath's rapid expansion, with the county showing the second-highest population growth in the country at 13.2pc. This demographic surge has shaped Meath County Council's housing strategy in recent years. Meath County Council Chief Executive Kieran Kehoe said: "We are well aware of the urgency of the national housing crisis and will immediately start the process of varying our county and area plans so that we are in an excellent place to deliver over 36,000 new houses by 2040.' "Earlier this month, statistics supplied by the Department showed we delivered 169pc of our social housing new-build delivery targets from 2022 to 2024 and this was achieved through careful planning, investment in key infrastructure and a steadfast commitment to our citizens. "The targets may change, but our focus has not, and we will continue to address the housing challenges of the people in Meath."
Irish Times
30-07-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
Is it sensible to buy a house together in Ireland if you're not married?
Ireland is in love with cohabiting. Indeed, couples here have been shacking up together without marrying at a rapidly increasing rate. If you're saving for a house , or someone is struggling with rent, living together can make financial sense too – just don't forget to protect yourself. Upward trend Since the financial crash, couples here have become a whole lot more enamoured, it might seem. The number of those living together without children rose by 6 per cent between 2011 and 2016, CSO figures show. This increase then almost tripled, with a further 17 per cent rise recorded in Census 2022. There were almost 80,000 cohabiting couples without children recorded in that census; there were more than 85,000 cohabiting with children. A living arrangement seen as anything from bohemian to deviant a few decades ago is now unremarkable. In a housing and cost-of-living crisis, the home economics can work too. There are few more significant ways to commit to someone than by sharing a home – just know that mixing property and finances when you're not married can get tricky. Saving for a deposit One in three first-time-buyer homes now exceed €400,000 in value, according to the latest Banking and Payments Federation figures. These buyers, whose average age is now 36, are having to come up with a €40,000 deposit at least. With national average rents surpassing €2,000 a month, according to amassing a house deposit as an individual can seem unattainable. Living and saving together as a couple can speed things up. Committing to the future financial goal of home ownership bodes well for a relationship. An account where savings are combined can give a better return on lump sum deposit accounts or saving accounts. Just make sure the savings account is in joint names, that you both know the account password and have visibility of what's going in and out, says solicitor Niamh Moran of Carmody Moran solicitors. There is a move away from marriage. It's almost thought of as an old-fashioned concept. But marriage does bring certainty. You are potentially in a greyer area with cohabiting — Niamh Moran 'You would be minded to keep a record of what you are putting in, and make sure the money is in joint names. Know the amount, particularly if it has amassed to being a large sum,' says Moran. If either of you receives a large lump sum, such as redundancy or inheritance money, you could decide to ringfence it in a separate account. When buying a house together, your solicitor can itemise in a 'completion statement' who contributed what. If you split up, or if something happens to your partner, accessing funds in a bank account in their name only could be very difficult. As a cohabitant, you are not automatically their next of kin. 'There is a move away from marriage. It's almost thought of as an old-fashioned concept. But marriage does bring certainty. You are potentially in a greyer area with cohabiting; you are not in as solid ground,' says Moran. If you are living with someone and they die without a will, you have no automatic right to any share of 'their' money, no matter how long you have been together. 'Be aware. You are not a married couple, you don't have automatic entitlement, so in the event of a break-up or a death, the situation isn't entirely clear. So it's no harm to keep records,' says Moran. Moving in to 'your' place With rents through the roof, it's no wonder boyfriends or girlfriends are moving in. If you or your parents own the property, however, know that your love can acquire rights. Two types of law can apply in this situation, says solicitor Keith Walsh. The first has to do with gaining equity in the property – so if someone moves in and contributes to, or puts money into a property owned by someone else, they can be entitled to get it out, says Walsh. 'If your partner starts to pay the mortgage or contributes substantially to any structural-type repairs or direct costs in the home, they could be establishing some sort of equity interest in it,' he says. If, for example, a parent owns a property, and their daughter takes on the mortgage, she is gaining an interest in the property. If her partner puts money into the couple's joint account and that account is paying the mortgage, that potentially gives the partner an equitable interest in the property, says Walsh. If money is being paid towards the home, it's important to say that the purpose of the money is rent, he says. 'They can pay as much rent as they like and they are never going to acquire an interest in the property,' says Walsh. However, the rent is taxable, he says. Indirect contributions of labour or money towards renovation of the property can also count in a claim for equity in the property, says Moran. Financial dependence Where one cohabiting partner is financially dependent on the other, they can also make a claim for redress. This redress scheme is to protect financially dependent cohabitants should the relationship end due to a break-up or death. To qualify, you must have been living together with a partner in an intimate and committed relationship for at least five years, or two years if you have a child, and be financially dependent on them. Most cohabitants working without children are not going to be financially dependent on each other, says Walsh. 'You could argue, however, if you are staying in a property owned by your partner's parents, not paying rent, and you have forgone chances to buy a house, that you are financially dependent because you are getting free accommodation as part of the relationship,' he says. Having other housemates living in the home doesn't diminish the intimate and committed nature of your relationship either. Redress for cohabitants isn't automatic, however; you have to apply to the court, proving you are a financially dependent cohabitant. Those claiming redress must apply within two years of the breakdown of the relationship, or within six months of the grant of probate issuing where the cohabitant has died. Cohabitation agreement If you live together as partners and you do not intend to marry, you can protect your financial interests by entering into a 'cohabitation agreement'. This is where couples agree to opt out of the right to make a redress claim against each other. 'You are opting out of the redress scheme under the 2010 Cohabitants Act; you are waving those rights, basically,' says Moran. 'Quite often, [living arrangements] can develop into something much longer than anyone had intended.' A cohabitants' agreement can specify how you plan to separate your assets should the relationship come to an end. This way, you can agree what happens while things are amicable. 'If you are bringing another person into a property that is yours, or has been in your family, signing a cohabitation agreement would be highly advisable,' she says. It's not very romantic, but by signing this agreement at the outset, your beloved is agreeing not to make a claim on the property where you live. For the cohabitants' agreement to be valid and enforceable by the court, you must both get independent legal advice, and both of you must sign the agreement. 'By having everything down in black and white, these agreements don't tend to trouble the courts because everyone knows where they stand. If you enter into something very clearly, it does diminish the chances for dispute,' says Moran. 'I know those are very difficult conversations to have, but they are worthwhile having.' The difficulty can be that people fall into living together without anticipating the long-term consequences. Inheritance implications Cohabitants should know that if one of you dies without a will, you have no automatic right to any share of the other's property, money or possessions – no matter how long you have been together. Even if your partner has made a will, you will pay Capital Acquisitions Tax (CAT) at 33 per cent on gifts or inheritance over €16,250. Had you married, you would be automatically entitled to your spouse's whole estate, tax-free if there was no will, or two thirds of it if there was no will and they had children. Cohabitants should know that being in a long-term, committed relationship where you are not married means that the surviving partner can pay significantly more inheritance tax if the other dies. Thinking of breaking up? If you've been living together, you want to break up and you are worried about your blended finances, take legal advice before pulling the plug, says Moran. 'Sit down and look at it with someone impartially and plan for what might happen,' she says. If you have difficulty agreeing who is owed what, mediation will be less costly than legal proceedings. Couples can mitigate disputes by being clear-headed before they move in. 'I see these things when they get contentious. It causes stress and upset and takes time to resolve,' says Moran. 'The best thing is to deal with it at the outset and not let yourself drift into a situation because problems do arise.'
The Herald Scotland
23-07-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
NRS hand contract for 2031 census to private firm
The company – one of the so-called Big Four accountancy firms – has faced multiple fines globally in recent years, including a £15 million penalty in 2020 from the UK's Financial Reporting Council over audit failures at software firm Autonomy. READ MORE The last census faced significant challenges. The Scottish Government decided in July 2020 to delay it by a year, taking it out of sync with the exercise in England and Wales. That decision was blamed for low returns, forcing SNP ministers to extend the deadline by a month. Despite the extension, only 89% of homes in Scotland returned the survey – short of the government target and well below the 97% overall return rate reported in England and Wales. On Public Contracts Scotland, the [[Scottish Government]]'s "national portal for public sector contract opportunities", the contract is described as being for an "Outline Business Case by May 2025, to feed into [[Scottish Government]] funding cycles for 26/27 and beyond". This will involve "working with NRS and partners to draw from the Strategic Outline Case and draw updated material from the Programme on the preferred option and delivery approach". "It is quite shocking to find out that the Scottish Government has handed responsibility for the next Scottish census to a private company," said Robin McAlpine of Common Weal. He described the 2022 Scottish census as "effectively the first failed census in modern history." "This is just the same old story of Scotland's public sector being privatised by stealth and of the core data on which public policy is based being shaped not for the public good but by the same financial elite which has been fined again and again and again for corruption carried out in favour of its clients," Mr McAlpine said, "It is beyond belief that Scotland's emaciated and failing civil service is not capable of designing a census, just as it is beyond belief that we allow private sector interests to shape core public data, even after their role in the failure of the 2022 census. "As best as we can tell, the National Records of Scotland has been wholly captured by Edinburgh's corporate sector. This should be of very great concern to every Scottish citizen." READ MORE A National Records of Scotland spokesperson said: "NRS will run and is fully responsible for the next census in Scotland in 2031. Deloitte were commissioned for a time-limited period to assist specifically with the development of an Outline Business Case. "This was based on the specialist skills and expertise they could provide in this area. "The 2022 census delivered valuable data for Scotland, with NRS gathering, analysing and presenting over a billion statistics which represented Scotland's whole population. "These statistics are already being used to inform decision making across our economy and society. "The statistics regulator awarded Scotland's Census 2022 results with Accredited Official Statistics designation based on the quality, good practice and comprehensiveness of the data."
The Journal
22-07-2025
- General
- The Journal
'No evidence' of link between attitudes towards immigration and pressure on services, says ESRI
THERE IS 'NO evidence' of a link between negative attitudes towards immigration and pressure on local services in a community, according to a new study. However, broader economic and social policies, and factors such as disadvantage and segregation, play a 'key role' in social cohesion and attitudes towards immigration. The findings are part of research published by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) which is investigating attitudes around immigration at a community level. Overall it has found some importance in 'social contact with migrants for fostering more positive attitudes' towards immigration in communities. 'While some communities perceive immigration more negatively than others, positive social contact can play a key role in improving attitudes and therefore social cohesion,' the ESRI said. 'The findings about pressure on services indicate that it may not be direct local experiences that impact attitudes, but may instead be concern about pressure on services in Ireland as a whole.' It added that the findings have important implications for policies aimed at improving migrant integration. The study is based on a representative survey of adults in Ireland looking at views on immigration, conducted in April 2023, matched with Census 2022 and additional data on the communities they live in. Advertisement An earlier ESRI report found that education, financial strain and optimism about the future were factors related to attitudes towards immigration. As part of the research it looked at whether people living in areas with greater pressure on services like health, housing and education held more negative attitudes towards immigration. Using indicators such as the number of GPs per household and housing affordability, high rents and high house prices, it has found 'no evidence of a link', the ESRI said. The share of migrants in a community were not linked with attitudes towards immigration in Ireland overall, the study added. However, people living in more disadvantaged communities had 'more negative attitudes' towards immigration, in particular, disadvantaged communities where there was an increase in migrants since 2011. Living in a rural area was associated with more negative attitudes towards immigration, compared with living in an urban area, but this differed if the rural area had a high percentage of migrants in the community. In that case, had attitudes toward immigration that were 'very similar' to those in urban areas. 'This may reflect the importance of social contact with migrants for fostering more positive attitudes,' the ESRI said. Attitudes to immigration were also 'not related to the proportion of Ukrainian refugees' in people's local area. 'Surprisingly, the proportion of asylum seekers in the community is linked to more positive attitudes to immigration overall, though only a small number of respondents had asylum seekers living in their local area,' the study added. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Irish Examiner
22-07-2025
- General
- Irish Examiner
People living in disadvantaged areas ‘less positive' about immigration
People who live in communities with higher levels of socio-economic disadvantage are 'less positive' about immigration, research has found. A new Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) research paper examines the role that community context plays in understanding people's attitudes towards immigration in Ireland. The research found that the share of migrants in a community and recent increases in migrants between 2011 and 2022 were not associated with attitudes towards immigration in Ireland overall. However, people living in more disadvantaged communities had more negative attitudes towards immigration, in particular, disadvantaged communities where there was an increase in migrants since 2011. This has important implications for policies aimed at improving migrant integration The study is based on a large, representative survey of adults in Ireland looking at views on immigration, conducted in April 2023, matched with Census 2022 and additional data on the communities they live in. It follows a report published earlier in the year that analysed individual and household-level factors associated with attitudes to immigration, which found that education, financial strain, and optimism about the future were factors related to attitudes towards immigration. The latest research found that migrants are not more likely to live in disadvantaged communities, however, it also found that people in communities with higher levels of socio-economic disadvantage are less positive about immigration, even after accounting for their own financial situation. Disadvantage is captured by proportions of households headed by lone parents, unemployed, with low education, or semi or unskilled. The report found that an increase in the number of migrants living in the area since 2011 had a more negative effect on attitudes in disadvantaged communities. Living in a rural area was associated with more negative attitudes towards immigration, compared with living in an urban area. However, rural areas with high percentages of migrants had attitudes towards immigration that were very similar to those in urban areas. The report stated that this may reflect the importance of social contact with migrants for fostering more positive attitudes. This research shows that local communities can generate both obstacles to, but also opportunities for, social integration between non-migrants and migrants The research also found that more segregated areas, where migrants live in clusters rather than evenly spread across the area, show more negative attitudes towards immigration. This also suggests that positive social contact with migrants in communities may facilitate understanding. The research investigated whether people living in areas with greater pressure on services such as health, housing and education held more negative attitudes towards immigration. Using indicators such as the number of GPs per household and housing affordability, high rents and high house prices, the ESRI said it found no evidence of a link. It also found that attitudes to immigration are not related to the proportion of Ukrainian refugees in people's local area. Surprisingly, the proportion of asylum seekers in the community is linked to more positive attitudes to immigration overall, though only a small number of respondents had asylum seekers living in their local area. The research shows that community-level factors can give important insights into attitudes towards immigration. While some communities perceive immigration more negatively than others, positive social contact can play a key role in improving attitudes and therefore social cohesion. Echoing international findings, socio-economic factors like community-level disadvantage seem to matter, implying that the broader social and economic context is important for attitudes towards immigration 'This has important implications for policies aimed at improving migrant integration, but also indicates that broader economic and social policies and factors, such as disadvantage, segregation, urban/rural settlement, play a key role in social cohesion and attitudes towards immigration,' the report said. 'The findings about pressure on services indicate that it may not be direct local experiences that impact attitudes, but may instead be concern about pressure on services in Ireland as a whole.' Report author Fran McGinnity said: 'This research shows that local communities can generate both obstacles to, but also opportunities for, social integration between non-migrants and migrants. 'Communities are spaces where migrants and non-migrants not only encounter each other but can also form lasting social ties. 'This could be as next-door neighbours, as parents of children going to the same school, or in community groups. 'This kind of positive social contact between migrants and non-migrants can go a long way to generating positive relations between groups as well as building stronger, more cohesive communities in the long run.' Report co-author Keire Murphy said: 'This report gives important insight into what makes anti-immigrant sentiment more likely. 'Echoing international findings, socio-economic factors like community-level disadvantage seem to matter, implying that the broader social and economic context is important for attitudes towards immigration.' Read More Government to invest €200bn in infrastructure under updated National Development Plan
