1 in 8 people in the Region are aged over 65 but it is this

The National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy was produced by the Department of Justice and Equality in 201762 and attempts to deliver actions to aid in the social inclusion of the Traveller and Roma communities in Ireland. The actions address themes such as cultural identity, education, employment, health, equality and accommodation. Local authorities are required to develop and implement 5 year accommodation programmes for Travellers.

This requires high quality healthcare and public services and, where appropriate, the choice of affordable care in the home or in the community for our older citizens. Quality placemaking should also integrate the principles of universal access in the design of buildings, housing, public realm, amenities and transport services to create places that are safe, easy to move around and accessible to all61.

REGIONAL POLICY OBJECTIVES:

Migration and Diversity

Diverse and Inclusive Region

RPO 9.1: Local authorities shall ensure the integration of age friendly and family friendly strategies in development plans and other relevant local policy and decision making, including provision for flexible housing typologies, buildings and public spaces that are designed so that everyone, including older people, disabled people and people with young children can move around with ease, avoiding separation or segregation.

The CSO population projections highlight demographic pressures that will remain a feature in the Region, as migration will be a key driver of future population growth over the lifetime of the RSES. The Region is the most demographically diverse in the State, and more than 1 in 8 of the regional population are non-Irish nationals, with higher rates in Dublin City and the counties of Fingal and Longford. As more immigrants become Irish or dual citizens, the numbers of non-Irish nationals in the Region have fallen in the last intercensal period. Settlements that have more than a quarter of their residents born outside the State include; Longford, Blanchardstown, Athlone and Portlaoise.