8 Socio-Economic Assessment
8.1 Introduction and
Context
It is appropriate
to carry out the socio-economic assessment for the entire
corridor combining the northern and southern study areas.
Much of the assessment is therefore included in both volumes
of the Constraints Report. This chapter outlines the socio-economic
profile of the study area. The broad context, including the
planning framework, is dealt with in Sections 8.2 to 8.4 on
a county basis. This also includes details of the principal
centres of population. Section 8.5 examines the study area
on a District Electoral Division (DED) basis, which provides
an overview of the rural areas in particular. Conclusions
are given in Section 8.6. A list of towns and villages over
200 persons in 1996 is given in Table 8.1. The Census of Population
is the principal source for the analysis.
The study area
comprises a broad band of countryside stretching between Kilcullen
and Waterford. It covers four County administrative areas,
Carlow, Kildare, Kilkenny and Laois, each with their own development
plans. The study area is divided into two stages: Kilcullen
to Paulstown and Paulstown to Waterford. The study area is
shown in Appendix A, Figures A1 and A2.
The northern
part of the study area (Figure A1) is currently served by
the N9 National Primary Route, Dublin to Waterford. The southern
part (Figure A2) starts where the N10 National Primary Route,
Dublin to Kilkenny, splits from the N9, at Paulstown. The
N10 continues on through Kilkenny and rejoins the N9 again
before reaching Ballyhale in the south of the county. The
study area is also served by main line rail, Dublin to Waterford,
with stations in Kildare, Athy, Carlow, Muinebheag (formerly
Bagenalstown), Kilkenny, Thomastown and Waterford.
Kilcullen
to Paulstown
The area stretching
from Kilcullen to Paulstown encompasses a number of centres
of population of 700 persons and over. The principal settlements
include Kildare, Athy, Castledermot in County Kildare; Carlow
town and Muinebheag in County Carlow; and Castlecomer in County
Kilkenny. The study area is predominantly rural in character
and may be divided into two broad physical categories - the
fertile Barrow Valley, through which much of the existing
N9 National Primary Route, Dublin to Waterford, runs, and
the Castlecomer Plateau which is confined to the south west
of the area.
Paulstown
to Waterford South
The study area
stretching from Paulstown to Waterford South encompasses Kilkenny
City, Thomastown and a number of smaller villages, including
Bennetsbridge, Goresbridge, Gowran, Inistiogue, Kilmacow,
Knocktopher and Mullinavat. The physical character of this
stretch is distinctively different from the first stretch
as it departs from the Barrow Valley and traverses the Nore
floodplain. This area is characterised by extensive areas
of relatively difficult terrain, including rugged topography
and areas liable to flooding.
|
