Education deficit - Caught in a vicious circle

The link between social disadvantage, unemployment, poverty, welfare dependence and poor educational achievement is expressed in the starkest terms in last night’s social housing organisation Respond’s report.

It shows that only 4.7% of people aged 15 or over in the Cork City suburb of Knocknaheeny are educated to degree level or higher. The area has an unemployment rate of 25%, the highest on the city’s northside.

It is likely that similar statistics could be used to describe the poorest areas of any city anywhere.