New research commissioned by Dublin City Council indicates that community spirit is decreasing in middle-income areas but is getting stronger in poorer parts of the city.
A survey of more than 400 people in Dublin shows that overall there appears to be a decline in community spirt with fewer people getting involved in the community. In middle-income areas such as Cabra, Inchicore, Glasnevin and Whitehall, a total 36 per cent of people said they were less involved in the community compared to 10 years ago, while 18 per cent said they were more involved.
The trend was bucked in poorer areas such as Ballyfermot and Darndale where 22 per cent said they were less involved, compared to 31 per cent who said they were more involved.
The research was commissioned as part of an initiative by Dublin City Council to increase levels of social capital - or the ties that bind communities together - across the city.
Following two years of work, a task force established under former Lord Mayor of Dublin councillor Michael Conaghan has issued a series of recommendations aimed at increasing the level of community involvement.
The report, which will be presented to councillors shortly, points out that communities' ties have increased in poorer areas due largely to the level of investment in community facilities, refurbishment projects and the establishment of new community groups.
In more middle-income areas, however, the decline has been blamed mainly on issues such as lack of time, family duties, work patterns and changing values.
The report sets out a range of initiatives which should be undertaken at local and national level to rekindle the community ties across the city. It includes plans to:
encourage businesses to engage with their local communities and share their assets and resources;
set up a "neighbourhood link system" to unite people together who share the same interests. New groups could be established on foot of this, such as sporting activities, book clubs or foreign language groups;
ensure the city council builds on the assets and resources of local areas rather than the traditional way of tackling problems in areas when they arise;
identify a set of basic values for community living and to ensure these are adopted by city authorities;
introduce city voter education programmes, as well as active citizenship classes in transition year in secondary school, and
set up a new community liaison and development unit in the city council in order to ensure that newcomers and ethnic minorities feel included in the city.
Last week the Government published a report focusing on ways to build up civic pride and volunteerism.