Issues and SWOT

strength

Village play spaces are already open

Lack and Derrygonnelly have verified completion announcements.

Proposed response: Keep the spaces usable and inclusive.

Evidence 1 · Evidence 2

strength

Make room for homes people can afford

The average home price is £202,000 (July 2026) in Fermanagh and Omagh council area. This is about £1,000 lower than the Northern Ireland average for the same month. Homes rented privately ranged from 8.7% in Fairy Water to 32.9% in Dergmoney — a gap of 24.2 percentage points.

Housing costs matter most alongside earnings and the number of affordable homes available. A local average cannot tell us whether a particular household can afford its home.

strength

Bring support closer to people in poor health

6.7% of people reported bad or very bad health in Fermanagh and Omagh council area (21 March 2021). Across Northern Ireland, the figure was 7.7%. People reporting bad or very bad health ranged from 3.8% in Derrylin to 12.7% in Strule — a gap of 8.8 percentage points.

This is how residents described their health in the census. It can reveal differences between neighbourhoods, but does not diagnose illness or measure current waiting times. Age profiles differ between places, so these shares do not measure service quality.

weakness

A town-centre facility does not settle rural access

The Forum is in Enniskillen, while the two completed village schemes provide outdoor play.

Proposed response: Assess how residents outside Enniskillen can use the new indoor facilities.

Evidence 1 · Evidence 2 · Evidence 3

opportunity

Use energy-efficient construction to control future bills

The Forum has specialist insulation and construction intended to meet demanding energy standards.

Proposed response: Verify performance through commissioning and operation.

Evidence

opportunity

Plan homes and care around an older population

18.4% of people in Fermanagh and Omagh council area were aged 65 or over (21 March 2021). People aged 65 or over ranged from 12.3% in Drumnakilly to 24.4% in Erne — a gap of 12.1 percentage points.

Age alone does not mean poor health or a need for care. Accessible homes, reliable transport and support close to home matter as people get older.

opportunity

Connect local skills to local opportunities

31.8% of people aged 16 or over had a degree or equivalent (21 March 2021) in Fermanagh and Omagh council area. Across Northern Ireland, the figure was 32.1%. People aged 16+ with no qualifications ranged from 19.4% in Lisbellaw to 35.8% in Strule — a gap of 16.3 percentage points.

Qualifications show one part of the skills available locally. They do not show whether people have secure jobs or work that uses those skills.

opportunity

Target safety work where problems repeat

Mapped police records are available for neighbourhoods in Fermanagh and Omagh council area.

Published locations are approximate and some crimes are not mapped. Counts show recorded incidents, not the chance of an individual becoming a victim.

opportunity

Turn published plans into visible progress

3 named local projects or plans have official evidence in this collection.

A published plan makes responsibilities and intentions easier to inspect. It does not prove that funding is secured or that promised benefits have arrived.

threat

A large leisure project needs an affordable operating plan

The Forum update states a £70 million capital project but does not establish future operating outcomes.

Proposed response: Track whole-life costs alongside construction.

Evidence