County Cavan Multicultural Network

Strategic Plan

2011-2013

Contents

Page Number
Introduction / 3
Section 1: Background Information on Multicultural Community in County Cavan / 5
Section 2: Background Information on County Cavan Multicultural Network / 14
Section 3: Goal, Values and SWOT analysis of County Cavan Multicultural Network / 19
Section 4: Strategic Aims of County Cavan Multicultural Network, 2011-2013 / 22
Section 5: Plan for Implementation and Review / 30

Introduction

The County Cavan Multicultural Network[1] is a network of groups, each of whom represent different nationalities, cultures and traditions. It was formed in 2010 and reflects both the increasingly diverse population base now living and working in the county and the desirability of different nationalities and cultures working together to achieve common goals.The overall mission or goal of the Network is to contribute towards the realisation of a fully integrated community where multiculturalism and diversity are celebrated and where a full programme of supports is in place for the multicultural community in County Cavan.

The purpose of this Strategic Plan is to provide a framework to guide the ethos, approach and activities of the Multicultural Network from 2011 to 2013 and in doing so, ensure its long-term capacity and sustainability. This plan has been developed and supported under the Peace III Programme through the County Cavan Peace III Peace and Reconciliation Partnership. An external researcher/consultant[2] with lengthy experience of working with the multicultural community in County Cavan was engaged to facilitate the Network in arriving at this document, which is based on a series of consultations with the wider Network membership and with the committee:

  1. A residential weekend workshop for Network members was held in Lustybeg in May 2010 with the goal of ‘Building and Strengthening the Network’. As part of this weekend, members worked together to clarify the vision, goals and values of the Network and to arrive at a terms of reference for the Network committee.A total of 18 members attended this session.
  2. In November, 2010 Network members were invited to attend a further Strategic Planning workshop[3]. Following a brief recap of what was agreed at the earlier session in Lustybeg, the members in attendance worked in groups to conduct a SWOT analysis of the Network and to arrive at and agree four strategic aims and a number of specific actions. A total of 20 members attended this session.
  3. In January 2011, the consultant emailed a preliminary draft of the Strategic Plan to committee members in advance of a further meeting at which each element of this document was discussed and further refined. A total of 5 members attended this session.

In addition to consultation with Network members, informal interviews with key informants in the local offices of relevant statutory agencies/government bodies were also held. Some background desk research was also conducted, particularly in relation to the first two sections of this document.

This Strategic Plan is presented as follows:

Section 1:Background Information on multicultural community in County Cavan

Section 2: Background Information on County Cavan Multicultural Network

Section 3: Goal, Values and SWOT analysis of the Network

Section 4: Strategic Aims and Actions of the Network, 2011 – 2013

Section 5: Plan for Implementation and Review

Section 1: Background Information on multicultural community in County Cavan

Size, Origin and Geographical Distribution of Multicultural Community

County Cavan, like much of the rest of Ireland, has experienced a significant and unprecedented increase in its non-Irish national population in the last 15 years. The period from the early 2000’sin particular saw increasing numbers of non-Irish nationals coming to live and work in the country and in Co. Cavan, most of whom had no prior ties to Ireland. The key ‘pull’ factors in general were the favourable economic conditions, healthy labour market and (relatively) easy entry into a successful English-speaking economy. In contrast to previous generations, successive governments actively encouraged and pursued migrant labour as a necessary condition of continued economic growth and prosperity[4]. The Census of 2006 records a total of 420,000 non-Irish nationals living in Ireland in April of that year, a very significant increase of 87% from Census 2002[5]. While the majority of these people were from within the European Union – and in particular, the UK and the Accession countries of Poland, Lithuania and Latvia – other countries outside the EU such as China, the US, Nigeria and the Philippines also had substantial numbers of citizens living in Ireland in 2006.

The national picture of a dramatic growth in the non-Irish national population has been largely replicated in County Cavan. Indeed much of the significant increase in the overall population of the county in the last two decades – from 53 965 in 1986 to 56 546 in 2002 to 63 264 in 2006[6] – is accounted for by the increase in the numbers of those born outside of the state now living in the county. In 1986, those born outside of the Republic of Ireland accounted for 5.6% of the total population of the county. In 1996, this figure was 6.5%. By 2002, those born outside the state made up approximately 10% of the population of the county while figures from the 2006 Census show that approximately 14% of the population of the county in that year was born outside the State[7].

The 2006 Census was the first in which a more detailed breakdown of the nationalities of those born outside the State was attempted. Table 1 shows the population of Co. Cavan in 2006 classified by country of birth. As we can see, the UK remains the country of birth for the majority of those born outside the State; the total number of 4699 exceeds the combined total of 4185 from all other countries. However, there is somewhat of an anomaly with the figures for people born within the UK. Only 1884 of this total figure of 4699 claim their nationality as being British. We can speculate that a substantial proportion of those born in the UK were in fact of Irish extraction or identified themselves as Irish. As Table 1 also shows, persons born in Poland and Lithuania account for a large proportion – 38% – of those born outside of either the Republic of Ireland or the UK.

Table 1: Persons enumerated in Co. Cavan, classified by country of birth, 2006 Census[8]

Total Pop. of County / Ireland / UK / Poland / Lithuania / Other EU 25 / Rest of world
63 264 / 54 380 / 4699 / 809 / 787 / 950 / 1639

The categorisation ‘rest of world’ leaves many unanswered questions about the precise composition of this portion of the population. The early years of the last decade saw large numbers of work permits issued to employers in Cavan[9], although a breakdown of the specific nationality of the workers involved is unavailable[10]. As County Cavan has never had a reception centre for asylum-seekers, the numbers of non-Irish nationals in this category has always been small, although anecdotally, we are aware of a small numbers of refugees, those given leave to remain and those given residency on the basis of an Irish-born child moving to the county from elsewhere, and particularly from Dublin.

However, the 2006 Census does give us some further clues as to the national/ethnic origin of the multicultural community in Cavan. For the first time, it also included a question about ethnicity and cultural background (as distinct from nationality or country of birth). Table 2 shows the population of Co Cavan in 2006 classified by ethnic group. This categorisation allows us to observe the presence of small but notable numbers of persons identifying themselves as Black/Black Irish or Asian/Asian Irish. The relatively high proportions of people who identified themselves as ‘other’ or who did not state their ethnicity was also noteworthy.

Table 2: Persons enumerated in Co Cavan, classified by ethnic group, 2006 Census[11]

Total Population / 63 264
White Irish / 56 559
White Irish Traveller / 212
Any other white background / 4 296
Black or Black Irish / 316
Asian or Asian Irish / 402
Other / 506
Not stated / 973

The 2006 Census also provides us with some interesting insights into the geographical distribution of the non-Irish national population in Co Cavan in that year. The Small Area Population Statistics showed people who were born in a country other than Ireland living in all parts of the county and in both large and very small population centres. However, non-Irish nationals tended to be clustered in the larger towns in the county, which also tended to be home to the largest employers of foreign nationals[12]. Four towns had particularly large proportions of non-Irish nationals; Cavan (24%), Ballyconnell (30%), Belturbet (20%) and Ballyjamesduff (23%)[13]. However, in the case of a small number of smaller towns/villages – notably Swanlinbar, Kilnaleck and Ardue[14] – over 20% of the population was born somewhere other than the Republic of Ireland[15].

Table 3: Percentage of inhabitants in towns/villages of over 1000 persons whose place of birth is other than Republic of Ireland, Census 2006[16]

Population centre (over 1000 inhabitants) / Percentage of population not born in the Republic of Ireland
Ballyconnell / 30%
Cavan Urban / 24%
Ballyjamesduff / 23%
Belturbet Urban / 20%
Cavan Rural / 19%
Kingscourt / 17%
Virginia / 17%
Shercock / 16%
Moynehall (part of the greater Cavan town area) / 14%
Cootehill Rural / 14%
Cootehill Urban / 13%
Mullagh / 13%
Killeshandra / 12%
Bellananagh / 10%
Bailieborough / 9%

The Multicultural Community in County Cavan in 2011

While the data offered by the 2006 Census provides a fascinating snapshot in time of the size, geographical reach and national/ethnic origin of the non-Irish national population of the county, it also has some significant limitations. Foremost amongst these is the fact that this data is by now quite dated[17]. This is especially so given the extraordinary downward shift in the economic fortunes of the country since 2008. While no specific research has been done on the impact of this economic downturn on the non-Irish national population of Co Cavan, it is obvious that the ‘pull’ factors which drew so many migrant workers in particular have dissipated. (Relatively) up-to-date national figures from the Office of the Minister of State for Integration[18] suggest that at a minimum, the flow of migrant workers into the country has declined hugely since 2008. While over 133,000 PPS numbers went to non-Irish nationals in 2004, 190,000 in 2005 and 231,000 in 2006, the figure in 2009 was 79,986, which represents a decrease of 49% on the 2008 level.29,421 PPS numbers were issued to Accession countries in 2009, which compares to 73,386 in 2008 i.e. a 60% decrease[19].No comparable statistics have been complied at local level, but we can assume that a similar pattern prevails. Anecdotal evidence from the Cavan offices of the Department of Social Protection (formerly the Department of Social and Family Affairs) is that there has been a sharp decline in the numbers of foreign nationals applying for PPS numbers from the high point in the mid-2000’s, although small numbers of applications do continue.

Only 7,962 work permits were issued nationally in 2009, which represents a 41% decrease on the figure for 2008 (13,567) alone. The sharp decline in the numbers of work permits issued nationally is reflected at the county level. The early years of the last decade saw very large numbers of work permits issued to employers in Cavan: 653 in 2002, 1055 in 2003 and 629 in 2004. In 2006, even after the arrival of large numbers of migrant workers from the Accession countries, a total of 325 work permits were issued (90 new and 235 renewals). Although the great majority of employers in 2006 were issued with a very small number of permits (1-2), a small number, notably Cartron Bros. (17 new and 21 renewals), High Voltage Construction Ltd. (38 new) and Liffey Meats (5 new and 69 renewals) still employed relatively large numbers under the work permit system. In contrast, the most recent figures for 2010 are that 96 permits were issued in the county, of which only 22 were new. Figures for 2009 were even lower, with 67 permits issued, of which only 15 were new. Although the exact situation will remain unclear until the results of the 2011 Census are published, these figures would at least suggest a decline in the numbers of recently arrived foreign nationals working in the county who come from non-EU countries.

Clearly, it is impossible to arrive at a precise and definitive figure for the number of non-Irish nationals living in the county – or their country of origin, ethnic background, geographical distribution, etc. – until the results of the next Census are published. More specifically, no formal local research has been carried out on the impact of the economic downturn on both the size and composition of the non-Irish national population of the county. In terms of national unemployment statistics, there were 77,519 Non-Irish nationals on the Live Register in December 2009, which represents 18.3% of all persons on the Live Register. Of these, 56% (42,675) were from the EU Accession states and 23% (18,062) were from the UK. 4,073 were from the EU 15 (excluding Ireland and the UK) and 12,709 (16%) were other non-Irish nationals. There was a 21% increase in the numbers of non-Irish nationals on the Live Register from January 2009 (64,001) to December 2009 (77,519). This compares to a 32% increase in the same period for Irish nationals (262,271 in January to 346,076 in December 09). Again, no comparable statistics have been compiled at local level, but we can assume a similar pattern. Anecdotal evidence fromthe Cavan offices of the Department of Social Protection (formerly the Department of Social and Family Affairs) is that unemployment in the county has risen considerably in the last number of years; at the time of writing there are approximately 9600 people on the Live Register[20]. There are a further 1500 casual/part-time workers claiming for varying numbers of days on which they are not working. Staff fromthe Cavan offices of the Department of Social Protection note that males previously employed in the construction sectors have been disproportionately affected by the economic downturn and would be the single largest group of claimants for either Job Seekers Benefit or Job Seekers Allowance. Workers from the hospitality sector – where there would be more of a balance between males and females – have also been strongly affected by recent economic events. While no distinction is necessarily made between claimants according to country of origin – or data compiled to that effect – we can at least speculate that foreign nationals might be disproportionately affected by overall loss of employment in the construction and hospitality sectors.

In light of the limitations of the above data, we are quite reliant at this stage on anecdotal evidence from those working closely with or very familiar with the patterns within individual non-Irish national communities. A very mixed picture emerges from some of the larger communities of migrant workers and specifically those who come from the Accession countries within the EU. Anecdotal evidence suggests that while males who were working in the construction and related industries have been substantially affected by the economic downturn, many others do continue to be in employment. Some – and particularly those without substantial family ties in Ireland or who came to Ireland relatively recently – have left Ireland to either go back to their country of origin or to another country where there are perceived to be more economic opportunities[21]. On the other hand, many of those who are currently unemployed or who have only part-time or casual employment have clearly chosen to remain in Ireland and receive any unemployment assistance for which they are eligible[22], not least because this is usually far in excess of what they would receive in their own country. Many of these are apparently ‘holding on’ in the hope that ‘better times’ will return, and with them, new job opportunities. The length of residence and the strength of family ties appear to be important factors in decision-making. Those who have married/had children with Irish people[23] are obviously more likely to remain in Ireland. Anecdotal evidence would also suggest that those who have children and perhaps particularly children of school-going age are generally more likely to remain in Ireland in the medium to long term[24]. In some cases, this has resulted in (temporary) family separation, where one parent – usually the father – is working in another country while the mother and children remain in Ireland. Less information is available on those whose country of origin is outside of the EU and who may be here on a work permit. Overall, it appears at least that there has not been any major decrease in the size of the multicultural community in County Cavan in the last number of years.

Integration of Multicultural Community

Again, we are reliant on anecdotal evidence and local knowledge to ascertain the level of integration of the multi-cultural community within the economic, social and cultural life of the county. While it is difficult to generalise, it is apparent that the levels of integration are generally quite high. Again, this is especially the case amongst those who have been here a substantial period of time and/or who have children, i.e. those who are at a stage of life where they are more likely to form ties and become embedded within the economic, social and cultural life of the county. The involvement of children in school activities, in sports, in cultural pursuits, etc., for example, were noted as drawing people into their communities. Key informants also noted a decreased tendency amongst non-Irish nationals to ‘cling’ to people from their own countries and to broaden their horizons over time and/or as their command of English improves. In most cases, members of the multi-cultural community are simply living ordinary lives, comparable in most ways to the lives of their (Irish) neighbours.

Running parallel to greater integration has been the formation of a number of representative groups or associations, usually based on country or region of origin. These groups are currently at quite different stages in terms of their own development and level of organisation. Each group also has its own particular focus and approach to meeting the needs of its community, from education and youth development to culture, to lobbying to networking. Particularly notable is the formation of a Polish and a Lithuanian School, where some children from these communities attend weekend classes to learn their ‘own’ language, but are also exposed to key elements of the curriculum in their country of origin. All of these representative groups appear to share a common desire to represent and advocate on behalf of their own communities, but also to facilitate and support the integration of their communities into the wider economic and social life of the county. With regard to the latter, these groups are increasingly initiating their own cultural events but often inviting Irish people and other cultures to attend.