‘Continued public investment in transport infrastructure will deliver for the region and sustain jobs’ WDC tells Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport’

Quality transport infrastructure critical to competitiveness and maintaining employment

The Western Development Commission (WDC) has stressed the need for continued public investment in the West’s transport infrastructure to secure competitiveness and maintain employment in western counties. The Commission was speaking after making a presentation to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport on September 24th .

“Despite the current economic downturn, the planned investment in transport in the Western Region should not be postponed, as any delay would be a threat to the region’s competitiveness and growth,” said Dr Patricia O’Hara, Policy Manager at the WDC.

“Quality roads are critical to maintaining competitiveness and employment. We know from our research that poor roads increase costs, lower productivity, and reduce labour market mobility and flexibility. Road projects such as the Atlantic Corridor, which will run from Letterkenny to Waterford via Sligo, Tuam and Ennis are essential for the region’s competiveness and we are concerned about the fact that there are no timelines assigned to parts of that route north of Galway city,” Dr O’Hara added.

Speaking about the Western Rail Corridor, Dr O’Hara said: “We know that there is demand for improved rail services in the west. When Iarnród Éireann increased frequency and capacity on the GalwayDublin route, the number of people using it increased by 9% to 1.6 million in 2007. Passenger numbers using the rail services from Ennis to Limerick, which is part of the Western Rail Corridor, have exceeded all expectations. These examples illustrate that if you provide the services the passengers will follow.”

The Athenry to Ennis and the Galway to Athenry services are on schedule for 2009 with new stations planned at Sixmilebridge, Gort, Ardrahan, Craughwell and Oranmore. “We understand

that in early 2009, once the Ennis to Athenry section is completed, work will begin on the Tuam to Athenry section which is due to open in 2011. The line from Tuam to Claremorris is scheduled for 2014, while the line from Claremorris to Collooney is to be preserved for future use,” Dr O’Hara added.

The WDC told the Oireachtas Committee that the Western Rail Corridor will enhance the towns on the route, nearly all of which, in the last Census showed population growth significantly above the national average. It will also be a really valuable resource for tourism in the region. The Committee was also told how the success of the section from Galway to Limerick will be critical to ensuring continued support for reinstatement of the rest of the line. A wellpromoted quality service involving short journey times, good frequency, a competitive fare structure and comfort will be required to change the habits of a generation who have never had the opportunity to use this rail service.

The WDC outlined how Irish registered goods vehicles now transport almost 315 million tonnes of goods by road an increase of 203% in ten years. However, the largest rail freight traffic movements in the country come from Mayo, where 900 trains every year transport goods to Waterford Port, removing over 16,000 truckloads off the roads and bringing major benefits to Mayo businesses. Ireland needs to reduce road congestion and carbon emissions, so consideration should be given to subsidising rail freight as is the case in many other European countries. In its presentation, the WDC cited an example in Scotland where a capital grant of £3 million for rail freight has now been credited with saving the Scottish Government £1.4 million per annum in carbon taxes and other costs. Benefits associated with rail freight include reduced carbon emissions, less road congestion and fewer injuries and loss of life.

The WDC also stressed the importance of international air access in supporting the regions’ enterprise and tourism sectors. In particular, improved road and rail links are required to provide predictable journey times and extend the airports’ catchments so that they can play their full role in economic development. For this reason, it is critical that the interurban GalwayEnnis road is completed by 2010 as promised, according to the WDC. There is also a need to improve tourism promotion, to maximise the opportunities from existing international routes into Ireland West Airport Knock.

Dr O’Hara said; “An important objective of the WDC is to advance the Government’s policy of balanced regional development by providing a regional perspective on national policy. Having the opportunity to speak directly to the Joint Oireachtas Committee was a welcome opportunity to do that.”

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96% of those who have relocated would recommend the move

The results of the fourth annual Collins McNicholas re-location survey released today (Tuesday 16th September) shows that 96% of professionals who recently relocated to the West, North West or Midlands regions would recommend such a move to others. Collins McNicholas is one of Ireland’s leading recruitment and HR consultancy companies with offices in Dublin, Cork, Galway, Sligo and Athlone.

MAIN FINDINGS

• Overall, 96% of respondents would recommend relocating to the regions.
• 85% of people’s work-life balance improved since they relocated.
• 86% of respondents now commute to and from work in less than 40 minutes.
• 74% of respondents received an increase or similar remuneration package when they relocated.
• 65% of respondents said lower property prices were a factor in their decision to relocate.
• 84 % of respondents were educated to Degree level or higher.
• 49% of professionals surveyed relocated from outside of Ireland.
• A more relaxed atmosphere, safer environment and less traffic were the top three attractions expressed by people surveyed subsequent to relocating.
• The four main concerns of respondents about relocating, before they moved, were employment opportunities (67%), salary expectations (55%), house prices (45%) and cost of living (42%).
• Medical Devices (17%), Pharmaceutical (16%), Manufacturing (14%) and Engineering (13%) were the most popular sectors of employment for those who relocated.

The survey was completed by professionals from different sectors including pharmaceutical, medical devices, financial services and professional services and investigated the various factors that were considered before relocating to the regions including property prices, commuting times, salary and proximity to family and friends. Whilst 38% of respondents were attracted by lower cost of living and 34% by lower property prices a further 34% stated that they were attracted to the area because of its proximity to the coast and countryside as well as the number of outdoor activities and amenities available.

Other findings of the survey include:

• Of the people surveyed 17% found jobs in the Medical Devices sector, 16% in Pharmaceutical, 14% in Manufacturing and 13% in Engineering.
• ICT employed 10% of the people surveyed and 16% in Accountancy.
• 85% of respondents stated that their work life balance had improved and more leisure time, friendlier people and an overall more relaxed atmosphere since relocating were also seen as attractions.
• Less commuting times were considered a major pull factor in the decision to relocate and the vast majority of respondents commuted to work in less than 20 minutes since relocating.
• 28% purchased property since relocating and 18% are considering it.

The recent influx of a talented workforce to the area has had a significant impact on the amount and quality of employment available in the area. Commenting on the findings of the survey, Mr Niall Murray, Regional Manager of Collins McNicholas Sligo said “The results of this survey clearly show that there is an ever growing interest amongst professionals in Ireland in relocating to the regions. The better quality of life and lower costs of living are major factors in an increasing number of people making the decision to move. Despite tougher economic times, there continues to be excellent employment opportunities available to people across the regions and we are eager to give a positive message to job seekers that many companies are continuing to hire people”.

Reinforcing the positive message was Gillian Buckley, CEO of the Western Development Commission that runs the LookWest.ie (www.lookwest.ie) campaign to attract people and enterprise to the region, “Our own research shows that there are a significant number of jobs available in the Western Region. In fact, at this year’s LookWest.ie Expo, to be held this Thursday (September 18th) in Dublin, we have more than 300 top quality jobs waiting to be filled, and that’s in spite of the current climate, as industries such as life sciences, engineering, financial services and IT continue to look for skilled, experienced staff.”

The survey, in its fourth year, looks at the motivations and experiences of a cross section of one hundred and fifty professionals who relocated to the West, North West and Midlands regions in 2008. The objective of the survey is to provide a unique insight into the motivations behind the increasing number of highly skilled professionals relocating to these regions. The survey was completed by professionals from various sectors including pharmaceutical, medical devices, financial services and professional services and investigated the various factors that were considered before relocating; including property prices, commuting times, salary and proximity to family and friends.

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For further information please contact:

Shirley Kiernan, Marketing & PR Manager, Collins McNicholas, 087 4140163 Gillian Buckley, CEO, Western Development Commission, 087 2236982

Notes to Editors: About Collins McNicholas

Collins McNicholas was established in 1990 and with five offices nationwide is one of the few longstanding Recruitment and HR Services organisations in Ireland. The company is the first recruitment organisation in Ireland to achieve ‘Excellence through People’ certification in all of their offices.

Western Development Commission (WDC)

The WDC is a statutory body promoting economic and social development in counties Donegal, Sligo, Leitrim, Roscommon, Mayo, Galway and Clare.

The WDC’s 5 strategic aims are to:

• Contribute to balanced regional development by ensuring that the Western Region maximises its full potential for economic and social development.
• Promote the benefits of living, working and doing business in the Western Region.
• Support the sustainable economic and social development of the rural economy.
• Provide risk capital to SME’s and social enterprises.
• Operate the WDC as a competent and effective organisation.

For further information visit www.wdc.ie

Spreagann Taispeántas LookWest.ie fiontair chun breathnú ar an Iarthar mar shuíomh gnó

Beidh sa bhreis ar 300 post á dtairiscint ag Taispeántas LookWest.ie de chuid Choimisiún Forbartha an Iarthair (WDC), a bheidh á reáchtáil in Óstán Alexander, Baile Átha Cliath ar an 18ú Meán Fómhair. Beidh spéis san imeacht ag daoine a dteastaíonn uathu bogadh ó mhórcheantar Bhaile Átha Cliath chun maireachtáil, oibriú agus gnó a dhéanamh i réigiún an Iarthair (Dún na nGall, Liatroim, Sligeach, Maigh Eo, Gaillimh, Ros Comáin agus an Clár). Tharraing imeacht na bliana seo caite sa bhreis ar 500 cuairteoir, le spéis acu uile in oibriú agus maireachtáil san Iarthar. I mbliana, leagfar béim láidir ar na tairbhí a bhaineann le gnó a thosú i réigiún an Iarthair nó a leathnú chuig réigiún an Iarthair; beidh seimineár ar na tacaí ar fáil, le cois cásstaidéir chuideachtaí atá ag feidhmiú go rathúil san Iarthar.

Agus í ag labhairt faoi Thaispeántas LookWest.ie Bhaile Átha Cliath, dúirt Príomhoifigeach Feidhmiúcháin an WDC, Gillian Buckley, “Ó sheolamar feachtas LookWest.ie i mí na Samhna 2004 tá níos mó ná 350,000 cuairt tugtha ar láithreán gréasáin LookWest.ie www.lookwest.ie. Rinneamar an lucht a chláraigh linn a rianú go leanúnach agus tá a fhios againn go bhfuil níos mó ná 50% díobh idir 26 agus 35, go bhfuil cáilíochtaí tríú leibhéal ag 92% díobh, go bhfuil sa bhreis ar chúig bliana de thaithí oibre ag trí cheathrú díobh, agus an rud is tábhachtaí, go dteastaíonn uathu bogadh chuig an Iarthar. Is féidir linn an taighde seo a thaispeáint do chuideachtaí nua agus ag leathnú atá ag smaoineamh ar bhogadh go réigiún an Iarthair, chun a léiriú go bhfuil lucht oibre ullmhaithe, toilteanach, cumasach againn dóibh.”

“I mbliana, táimid ag leagan béime ar leith ar fhiontraíocht agus is féidir linn a thaispeáint do chuideachtaí agus do fhiontraithe gur suíomh rathúil, costéifeachtúil don ghnó é an tIarthar ina bhfuil spás gnó ar chostas níos ísle, turais choimaitéireachta níos giorra, agus baill foirne anspreagtha, sároilte. Ag an am céanna, de réir tuairiscí, bíonn láimhdeachas foirne i bhfad níos ísle san Iarthar agus baineann an fhoireann agus úinéirí gnó araon tairbhe as

cáilíocht ard na beatha. Tá feabhas á chur ar an mbonneagar agus ar sheirbhísí i gcónaí, agus le bealaí nua curtha ar fáil ag aerlínte cosúil le hAer Árann, féadann cuideachtaí gnó a dhéanamh ar fud an domhain óna mbunáit in Iarthar na hÉireann.”

“Beidh ár gcomhpháirtithe ó na hÚdaráis Áitiúla, na Boird Fiontar Contae, Fiontraíocht Éireann, FÁS, Údarás na Gaeltachta, Forbairt Shionainne agus gníomhaireachtaí eile ag an Taispeántas chun fiontraithe a chur ar an eolas faoi conas is féidir leis na gníomhaireachtaí sin cabhrú le haon duine atá ag smaoineamh ar ghnó a bhunú san Iarthar nó gnó a bhogadh go dtí an tIarthar.”

“Tá an WDC, na cuideachtaí atá ag déanamh earcaíochta agus na gníomhaireachtaí tacaíochta stáit eile ag tnúth go mór le bualadh le duine le suim acu bogadh go dtí an tIarthar agus freagraí a thabhairt ar a gceisteanna faoi cháilíocht ard na beatha, na bpost agus na ndeiseanna gnó i Réigiún an Iarthair. Beidh an Taispeántas, a bheidh ar siúl ar Déardaoin, an 18ú Meán Fómhair in Óstán Alexander, Cearnóg Mhuirfean, Baile Átha Cliath 2, ag tosú ag meán lae agus beidh sé ar siúl ar feadh an lae go dtí a 9i.n. chun deis a thabhairt do dhaoine atá ag an obair freastal air. Tá sé oscailte do dhaoine aonair agus do chuideachtaí, agus tá sé saor in aisce, gan amhras. Féadann fostaithe féideartha bualadh le hionadaithe cuideachtaí ilnáisiúnta bunaithe san Iarthar cosúil le Abbott Ireland, Bank of America, BDO Simpson Xavier, IBM Ireland, Lionbridge, Tiscali agus Valeo Vision Systems agus féadann siad eolas a fháil faoi dheiseanna fostaíochta le cuideachtaí dúchasacha Éireannacha freisin, cosúil le PEL Recycling Equipment, AVA Systems agus Computer Troubleshooters Ireland.”

Críoch

Le haghaidh tuilleadh eolais:

Bernadette Mullarkey, Bane Mullarkey, 086 8062 540 Gillian Buckley, Príomhoifigeach Feidhmiúcháin an WDC, 087 2236 982 Ian Brannigan, Bainisteoir Forbartha an WDC, 086 604 8012

Cineálacha poist ar fáil: Comhairleoirí Gnó, Foireann Lónadóireachta agus Fáilteachais, Seirbhísí do Chustaiméirí, Sláinte & Sábháilteacht Comhshaoil, Airgeadas, Acmhainní Daonna, Eolaíochtaí Beatha, Margaíocht, Innealtóirí Próisis, Eolaithe Táirgthe, Teicneoirí Saotharlainne um Rialú Cáilíochta, Innealtóirí Bogearraí Taighde agus Forbartha, Díolacháin, Rialuithe Bogearraí, Bainistíocht Shlabhra an tSoláthair, Ionadaithe Teileamhargaíochta.

Taispeántas LookWestie 2008 Déardaoin, 18ú Meán Fómhair, 2008, Óstán Alexander, Baile Átha Cliath

LookWest.ie Expo encourages enterprises to consider the West as a business location

There are over 300 jobs on offer at the Western Development Commission’s (WDC) LookWest.ie Expo that will be held in the Alexander Hotel, Dublin on the 18th of September. The event will attract people who want to relocate from the Greater Dublin Area to the Western Region (Donegal, Leitrim, Sligo, Mayo, Galway, Roscommon and Clare) to live, work and do business. Last year’s event attracted over 500 visitors, all of them interested in working and living in the West. This year there will be a strong emphasis on the benefits of starting or expanding a business to the Western Region with a seminar on the supports available and case studies of companies successfully operating in the West.

Commenting on the Dublin LookWest.ie Expo, Gillian Buckley, WDC CEO, said, “Since we launched the LookWest.ie campaign in November 2004 we have had over 350,000 visits to the LookWest.ie website www.lookwest.ie. We have continuously tracked those who have registered with us and we know that over 50% are aged between 26 and 35, 92% have Third Level qualifications, three quarters have over five years work experience, but most importantly, they want to move West. We can show this research to new and expanding companies who are thinking of moving to the Western Region, demonstrating that we have a ready, willing and able workforce for them.”

”This year we are putting a particular emphasis on enterprise and can show companies and entrepreneurs that the West is a thriving, cost effective location for business, with lower cost business space, shorter commuting times, and highly skilled, motivated staff. At the same time staff turnover is reportedly much lower in the West and the high quality of life benefits both staff and business owners. Infrastructure and services are improving all the time, and with new routes from airlines like Aer Arann, companies can do business on the world stage from their West of Ireland base.

“Our partners from the Local Authorities, County Enterprise Boards, Enterprise Ireland, FÁS, Údarás na Gaeltachta, Shannon Development and other agencies will all be at the Expo to tell entrepreneurs how they can help anybody thinking of setting up or relocating a business in the West.”

The WDC, those companies recruiting and the other State support agencies are looking forward to meeting people who are interested in a move West and to answering their questions about the high quality of life, jobs and business opportunities in the Western Region. The Expo, which is on Thursday 18th of September in the Alexander Hotel, Merrion Square, Dublin 2, starts at noon and goes on all day until 9pm to give those at work the chance to attend. It’s open to individuals and companies and of course it’s free. Potential employees can meet with representatives of multinationals based in the West such as Abbott Ireland, Bank of America, BDO Simpson Xavier, IBM Ireland, Lionbridge, Tiscali and Valeo Vision Systems and they can also find out about job opportunities with indigenous Irish companies like PEL Recycling Equipment, AVA Systems and Computer Troubleshooters Ireland.

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For further information:

Conall O Móráin, The Media Group, 087 2463 111 Gillian Buckley, CEO WDC, 087 2236 982 Ian Brannigan, Development Manager WDC, 086 604 8012

Types of jobs on offer: Business Advisors, Catering and Hospitality staff Customer Services, Environmental Health & Safety, Finance, HR, Life Sciences, Marketing, Process Engineers, Production Scientists, Quality Control Lab Technicians, R&D Software Engineers, Sales, Software Controls, Supply Chain Management, Telemarketing Representatives,

LookWest.ie Expo 2008

Thursday 18th September 2008,

Alexander Hotel, Dublin