Disability Profile - Westmeath

Issued on October 9 2018

Disability Profile: County Westmeath[1]

Population

13% of the population of Westmeath or 11,887 people have at least one disability.

Age

Their age profile is:

0-14                  1151

15 – 24              980

25 – 44              2359

45 – 64              3539

65+                   3858

Type of Disability

People in Westmeath reported having the following types of disabilities and conditions:

A difficulty with pain, breathing, or any other chronic illness or condition

5,456

Difficulties with basic physical activities

4,821

Learning difficulty

2,982

Mental health

2,374

Deafness or serious hearing impairment

1,917

Intellectual disability

1,378

Blindness or a serious vision impairment

1,028

Education[2]

In 2016, only 13% of people who have a disability were in education compared to 19% of the general population in Westmeath.[3] For those whose education had finished:[4]

  • 32% did not progress beyond primary education compared to 14% of the general population.
  • Only 17% had completed upper secondary compared to 21% of the general population.
  • Only 14% had completed further education compared to 17% of the general population.
  • Only 18% had completed higher level education compared to 32% of the general population.

Employment

  • 21% of people who have a disability were at work compared to 51% of the general population.

Transport

  • 22% of people who have a disability did not have access to a car or van compared to 11% of the general population.

Housing

  • 12% of people who have a disability lived in social housing compared to 8% of the general population.[5]

[1] All statistics in this infographic are based on Census 2016 data from www.cso.ie. 

[2] Primary and less includes no formal education, further education includes vocational/technical certificate and advanced certificate/ completed apprenticeship, higher education includes Higher Certificate, Ordinary/Honours Bachelor, Postgraduate Diploma/Degree, and Doctorate. Data based on special tabulation from CSO and Statbank.

[3] % of total education ceased and not ceased, and for people aged 15 years and over.

[4] Data is for highest level of education completed for people with a disability whose education has ceased.

[5] People aged 15 years and over, who were renting from a Local Authority or a Voluntary Body.