asked the Taoiseach the areas of greatest depopulation over the last inter-censal period as shown by the last census; and if he will identify them (a) by county and (b) by geological structure.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Depopulated Areas.
6.
Information on the changes in populations between 1966 and 1971 has been published in volume I of the report on the Census of Population of Ireland, 1971. In particular, Table 11 of that report shows for each district electoral division in each county the percentage change in population between 1966 and 1971.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to circulate in the Official Report a statement giving the information requested by the Deputy for the 20 district electoral divisions, outside of urban areas, which showed the greatest percentage fall in population between 1966 and 1971.
Following is the statement:
The twenty District Electoral Divisions in which the greatest percentage decrease in population was recorded in the intercensal period 1966-71.
|
County |
District Electoral Division |
Population |
Percentage decrease 1966-71 |
Geological Structure |
|
|
1966 |
1971 |
||||
|
% |
|||||
|
Laoighis |
Capard |
57 |
43 |
24.6 |
Devonian yellow, grey and purplish sandstones overlying Silurian grits and slates. Limestone drift does not extend into the high ground. |
|
Westmeath |
Ardnaglew |
194 |
140 |
27.8 |
No rock exposed—probably Carboniferous limestone. Considerable area of boggy land with esker ridges and large hollows locally. |
|
Cork |
Ballymurphy |
465 |
354 |
23.9 |
Devonian Red slates with occasional sandstones overlain by Carboniferous greenish-grey slates and silts. |
|
Kerry |
Mastergeehy |
170 |
135 |
20.6 |
Red slates and grits exposed in river valley. Low-lying ground consisting of drift and bog. |
|
” |
Dromore |
166 |
129 |
22.3 |
Large areas of rock outcrop of Devonian purple grits and slates. Also some areas of drift and bog. |
|
Galway |
Killeenavarra |
379 |
294 |
22.4 |
Very low-lying ground with large areas of broken Carboniferous limestones. Some of the land is liable to flooding. |
|
” |
Kilthomas |
115 |
91 |
20.9 |
Similar situation to Killeenavarra above. |
|
Leitrim |
Aghalateeve |
118 |
90 |
23.7 |
Rocks consist of Carboniferous shales and impure limestones. High ground to the north is covered by mountain bog with boulder clay in the southern low ground. |
|
” |
Arigna |
85 |
55 |
35.3 |
A number of coal seams with black and brown splintering shales with ironstone nodules. Much of the area is covered by bog. |
|
” |
Kiltyclogher |
512 |
405 |
20.9 |
Carboniferous white quartzose sandstones overlain by black calcareous shales. Some local patches of bog. |
|
” |
Cashel |
217 |
170 |
21.7 |
Occasional outcrops of Carboniferous white and yellow sandstone. Patches of boulder clay appear locally through the large areas of bog. |
|
Mayo |
Sheskin |
102 |
78 |
23.5 |
Generally covered by extensive thick bog with some exposures of greyish-white Carboniferous sandstones in some of the streams. |
|
” |
Croaghmoyle |
244 |
193 |
20.9 |
Large expanses of Carboniferous red flaggy sandstones and conglomerates. Also large areas of bog. Some mica-schist also occurs. |
|
Roscommon |
Creeve (Roscommon R.D.) |
237 |
186 |
21.5 |
No rock outcrop. Undulating ridges of boulder clay with alluvium in the river valley. |
|
” |
Cregga |
204 |
158 |
22.5 |
Large expanses of steel-grey flat-lying beds of limestone. Some limestone boulder clay. |
|
Cavan |
Benbrack |
247 |
181 |
26.7 |
Carboniferous black shales and grits with large areas of flat mountain bog. |
|
” |
Pedara Vohers |
260 |
204 |
21.5 |
Flat-lying Carboniferous quartzose sandstones. Large areas of bog. Some boulder clay drift. |
|
” |
Derrynananta |
91 |
68 |
25.3 |
Flat-lying Carboniferous sandstones outcropping along the rivers. Land consists of boulder clay with some patches of bog. |
|
” |
Esky |
320 |
248 |
22.5 |
Flat-lying Carboniferous splinter-blue limestone. Also areas of boggy ground liable to floods. |
|
Donegal |
Haugh |
191 |
151 |
20.9 |
Flat-lying Carboniferous shales and impure limestones. Hilly country with local thick drift and small patches of bog. |