CSO data suggests no extra movement of people during Covid-19 restrictions

Number of trips outside 10kms remain at similar levels to last week

CSO data suggests no extra movement of people during Covid-19 restrictions Photograph: Crispin Rodwell
CSO data suggests no extra movement of people during Covid-19 restrictions Photograph: Crispin Rodwell

There is no evidence in recent weeks of increased mobility among the public, according to weekly figures produced by the Central Statistics Office (CSO).

The number of people who stayed within 10km of home, 63.8 per cent, in the week ending March 5th is the same as the previous week ending February 26th.

The number of people who stayed within 10km of home fell to 52.3 per cent during Christmas week when restrictions were lifted on travel. It peaked at 68.7 per cent on February 7th during the present lockdown and has plateaued since.

The staying local indicator (SLI) is measured by data from phones on the Three network.

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Nine counties showed SLI increases, indicating that more people stayed local, from the week ending February 26th to the week ending March 5th, ranging from 0.8 per cent in Leitrim to 0.1 per cent in Louth.

Fourteen counties showed SLI decreases, indicating that more people moved beyond 10km of home in the same time frame ranging from 1.8 per cent (Carlow) to 0.1 per cent (Offaly).

Dublin continues to be the county with the highest percentage of the population staying local (77.6 per cent) during the week ending March 5th, reflecting its urbanised nature and access to services compared to other counties.

Carlow (49.5 per cent) and Roscommon (49.8 per cent) are the only counties in Ireland where a majority of people moved more than 10 kilometres in the last week.

This is the sixth of an insight series on mobility produced by the Central Statistics Office (CSO).

The Staying Local Indicator (SLI) provides daily estimated percentages of county populations that have stayed within 10km of home, averaged over the preceding seven days.

Ronan McGreevy

Ronan McGreevy

Ronan McGreevy is a news reporter with The Irish Times