Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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940. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the examinations being undertaken in relation to the instances of Covid-19 compared with the Pobal areas of deprivation throughout the country; the mapping that is taking place to review Covid-19 clusters; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4261/21]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Pobal HP Deprivation index is Ireland’s primary social gradient tool, used by numerous state agencies for the identification of disadvantage, in order to target resources towards communities most in need. The index is recognised as a robust and reliable tool for the identification of relative levels of affluence or disadvantage across geographic areas, by utilising existing data from the national census. The index is commissioned by Pobal every five years, following the completion of the national census.

Since the State has begun to release Covid-19 infection rates at the Local Electoral Area level via the Covid-19 Data Hub, Pobal have undertaken a process to assign Deprivation scores to Ireland’s 166 Local Electoral Areas in order to compare these with Covid-19 Infection rates. Pobal regard the finding of this analysis as inconclusive, re-affirming that any analysis of geographic deprivation and Covid-19 infection can only meaningfully be done at a smaller geographic unit such as Electoral Division or Small Area.

Pobal do not currently have access to this level of granular data (Cases by Electoral Division or Small Area) which would be necessary to determine any relationship between infection rates and geographic deprivation.

If there are any further specific questions in relation to this analysis, Pobal are happy to liaise directly with the Deputy.

However, it is important to note that, from a public health perspective, analysis of the instances of Covid-19 across the country does not fall within the remit of my Department as it is more appropriate to the Department of Health.