Western Region’s wood resources present new enterprise and job opportunities

The Western Development Commission (WDC) has secured European Union (EU) funding of €1 million to develop the wood energy sector in the Western Region. The funding, part of a wider EU three-year €2.8 million project, will support farmers, rural enterprises and rural communities to expand the wood heat sector. The funding was announced by Éamon Ó Cuív, Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs at the National Ploughing Championships in Athy.

Mr Ó Cuív said, “I welcome this funding to help develop the wood energy sector. Part of the WDC’s work is to ensure that the Western Region captures the value of its abundant natural resources and the renewable energy sector is a key area for economic growth. As a source of energy, wood is very feasible for people living in rural areas and the project will increase deployment of renewable energy technologies in rural economies, resulting in a range of economic impacts including the creation and retention of employment, and the piloting of new business concepts and products. The increased renewable energy uptake will impact positively on regional competitiveness, innovation and diversification of economic activity in rural areas.”

Ian Branigan, Development Manager at the WDC said, “Renewable energy is a key area of potential for economic growth, and although the Western Region has 40% of Ireland’s wood resources, the wood energy market is underdeveloped compared to international levels. This project will provide training, advice and support to farmers, small farming businesses and private forest owners to help convert their forestry resources into enterprises that generate revenue and job opportunities.”

“Our research has shown that, up to now, there have been some barriers to growing the market for wood fuel including low levels of market confidence, lack of information about the market and limited technical and business skills. The EU funding will allow us to actively tackle these issues to ultimately increase the use of renewable energy technologies in rural economies,” he added.

The project, Regional Approaches to Stimulating Local Renewable Energy Solutions (RASLRES), will receive total funding of €2.8 million, under the EU INTERREG Northern Periphery Programme, which includes international partners from Northern Ireland, Scotland, Sweden, Finland and the Faroe Islands. The WDC, as the project’s lead partner, has secured €1 million for Ireland’s Western Region covering counties Donegal, Sligo, Leitrim, Roscommon, Mayo, Galway and Clare.

Bernadette Phelan, Regional Development Executive at the WDC explained, “A lot of the forestry plantations in the west were planted during the 1980s and 1990s. This resource is therefore at an age suitable for first and subsequent thinnings so the project is very timely. Developing the wood energy market will create a market for these forestry thinnings and will encourage farmers to actively manage their forestry which in the long run results in a better timber harvest when the trees are fully mature.”

Ms Phelan says that a critical characteristic of wood energy is that it consists of ‘local loops’ of demand and supply in defined geographic areas. These ‘local loops’ typically have high level of indigenous activity and thereby retain a high percentage of profits locally. She says that as an economic activity the sector is firmly tied to the regional economy in which both the natural resource (the fuel) and the market is located.

The project will include an awareness and information campaign to highlight the opportunities for fuel producers as well as information for end users about the advantages of using wood energy. “For schools, hospitals, hotels and factories, the project will provide impartial advice and expertise on the feasibility of using wood to supply their energy requirements,” she added.

”We are presently finalising the details with our international partners and the EU INTERREG Secretariat and the project’s new website will go live in the coming weeks. By early 2010 we will start to roll out the various support services to the region’s wood energy sector and we will publish information in the local media about how people can get involved. Ultimately the success of the project will hinge on the involvement of the farm forestry sector and end-users working in cooperation with us,” she said.

As the sector develops, other beneficiaries will include forestry contractors, haulage companies for transporting wood fuel from source to end-user, and plumbers, engineering and electrical contractors who install boilers and fuel storage systems such as fuel silos, bunkers and handling systems.

The funding evolved from the strategic regional wood energy project which the WDC has led since 2007 when it brought together public and private stakeholders to develop a long term plan. It has worked closely with Údarás na Gaeltachta, Teagasc, Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI), the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources as well as private forest owners and local communities.

WDC research shows that the West could develop an indigenous, sustainable, renewable energy resource delivering 11% of the regions’ heat needs by 2020 and create up to 900 additional jobs. To deliver 11% of the region’s heat needs would require over 470,000 tonnes of wood fuel, generate an additional €15 million to the economy and provide €1.7 million to the west’s farming sector each year. The jobs created would be spread across the entire supply chain from private forest owners, to haulage companies, to plumbing, engineering, and electrical companies. Additionally the estimated CO2 emissions saved annually would equate to taking over 92,000 cars off the roads in the west of Ireland.

Ms Phelan concluded by saying that as well as the economic benefits and job creation opportunities, the development of the wood energy sector will increase awareness of the carbon economy and environmentally sensitive behaviours – for both individuals and enterprises – including the wider use of green technologies which benefits the economy as well as the environment.

People wishing to find out more about the project can contact Bernadette Phelan, Regional Development Executive, WDC, Tel: 094 986 1441, email bernadettephelan@wdc.ie.

Ends

For further information please contact:

Bernadette Phelan, Development Executive, WDC, 086 834 0279
or
Angela Bane, Bane Mullarkey, 087 286 5217

Travel to Work Report

Proportion of Carrick-on-Shannon Workers Commuting over 50km is Highest of all Western Region Labour Catchments

Western Development Commission

New data showing the travel to work patterns of workers in Carrick-on-Shannon should be used to promote the area as an enterprise location and highlights the importance of employment in rural areas.

That’s according to a new report from the Western Development Commission (WDC) which analyses previously un-released Census data to present an in-depth study of travel patterns in Carrick-on-Shannon and the surrounding area.

Speaking at the launch of the report, Lisa McAllister, Chief Executive of the WDC said, “This is very valuable information as it provides robust analysis of key trends and will be of particular value to policy-makers so that future decisions about regional transport infrastructure and enterprise location are based on solid data.

The report, ‘Travel to Work and Labour Catchments in the Western Region’, highlights the extensive Carrick-on-Shannon labour catchment and portrays the labour supply available around the county. The WDC says that it provides evidence-based analysis that should be used to inform regional policy-making, and that it will be an important source of information for employers, state development agencies and local and regional authorities.

Ms. Mc Allister said that while there has been a lot of debate on commuting patterns in the Dublin Area, up to now there has been relatively little knowledge of local and regional commuting patterns in the West of Ireland. “This report fills that gap and provides a much better understanding of where people live and work as well as the type of work that people do, all of which can better inform policy for enterprise location, as well as identifying education and training needs and transport requirements,” she said.

Deirdre Frost, Policy Analyst at the WDC who worked on the report said, “Employment in the Carrick-on-Shannon labour catchment is very geographically dispersed compared to other catchments reviewed in the Western Region. The report also shows the importance of employment in rural areas much of which is not agriculturally based. Within the Carrick-on-Shannon labour catchment, the town itself was the location for just 21.1% of employment whereas rural places in county Leitrim accounted for 45.1% of employment. This reflects the relatively small size of Carrick-on-Shannon town, as well as the rurality of its hinterland.”

Ms Frost added, “For this report we analysed travel to work patterns for Galway city, Ennis, Castlebar, Roscommon town, Sligo, Letterkenny and Carrick-on-Shannon and the data show that for Carrick-on-Shannon, the proportion of workers commuting long distances (in excess of 50km) is the highest of all the labour catchments.”

“It also showed that the age profile of those working in the labour catchment is one of the oldest of the labour catchments and that the proportion with a third level education in the Carrick-on-Shannon labour catchment at 36.3% is less than the nationally level of 43%.

Reflecting the relatively few opportunities for graduate employment within the town, there is a slightly higher share of those employed outside Carrick-on-Shannon town with a third level education than those employed within the town.

The report also found that the proportions at work in the various sectors of employment are not in line with the national average though the profile is similar to other catchments such as Roscommon. Proportionately twice as many work in agriculture compared to the national average, while the high proportion engaged in public administration and defence suggest a relatively high dependence on this sector, much of which is public sector employment.

Those living in the Carrick-on-Shannon labour catchment have a different socio-economic profile than the national average, for example only 32.5% are employers, professionals or managers, compared to 39.3% nationally.

Ms Frost concluded, “We welcome the Central Statistics Office’s (CSO) decision to release the data for this study which shows that the Western Region has huge potential to be a regionally smart economy that will help foster Ireland’s return to economic growth.”

Ends

Background Information

The WDC commissioned the National Institute for Spatial and Regional Analysis (NIRSA) at NUI Maynooth to examine in detail the commuting patterns of those at work in the Western Region. In this publication, Travel to Work and Labour Catchments in the Western Region: A Profile of Seven Town Labour Catchments, the WDC draws on the NIRSA report to compile an examination of the travel to work patterns in each of the principal towns in the seven counties of the Western Region.

This present report identifies 45 labour catchments in the Western Region (counties Donegal, Sligo, Leitrim, Roscommon, Mayo, Galway and Clare) and provides a detailed labour market profile for seven towns; the largest town in each of the seven counties which comprise the Western Region; Galway, Ennis, Sligo, Letterkenny, Castlebar, Roscommon and Carrick-on-Shannon.

Leagann Tuarascáil nua an WDC Béim ar Thábhacht na Fostaíochta sna Ceantair Tuaithe timpeall ar Chora Droma Rúisc

Céatadán Oibrithe a dhéanann Comaitéireacht de bhreis agus 50km Níos Airde i gCora Droma Rúisc ná in aon Cheantar Saothair eile i Réigiún an Iarthair

- Coimisiún Forbartha an Iarthair

Ba chóir sonraí nua a léiríonn patrúin taistil chun na hoibre oibrithe i gCora Droma Rúisc a úsáid chun an ceantar a chur chun cinn mar shuíomh d’fhiontair agus léiríonn siad go soiléir tábhacht na fostaíochta i gceantair tuaithe.

Sin a thugtar le fios i dtuarascáil nua ó Choimisiún Forbartha an Iarthair (WDC) ina ndearnadh anailís ar shonraí Daonáirimh nár scaoileadh go dtí seo d’fhonn staidéar domhain ar phatrúin taistil i gCora Droma Rúisc agus sna ceantair mórthimpeall air a chur ar fáil.

Agus í ag labhairt ag seoladh na tuarascála, dúirt Lisa McAllister, Príomhfheidhmeannach an WDC, “Is faisnéis thar a bheith luachmhar í an fhaisnéis seo mar cuireann sí anailís urrúnta ar threochtaí príomhúla ar fáil. Beidh sí an-tábhachtach do dhéantóirí beartais mar cuirfidh sí ar a gcumas cinntí faoin mbonneagar iompair réigiúnach agus faoi lonnú fiontar a bhunú ar shonraí cruinne amach anseo.”

Sa tuarascáil, ‘Travel to Work and Labour Catchments in the Western Region’, tarraingítear aird ar cheantar saothair mór Chora Droma Rúisc, agus déantar cur síos ar an soláthar lucht saothair atá ar fáil ar fud an chontae. De réir an WDC, cuireann sí anailís fianaise-bhunaithe ar fáil ar chóir í a úsáid chun treoir a thabhairt do dhéanamh beartas réigiúnach, agus beidh sí ina foinse thábhachtach faisnéise d’fhostóirí, do ghníomhaireachtaí forbartha stáit agus d’údaráis áitiúla agus réigiúnacha.

Mhínigh an tUasal McAllister, cé go ndearnadh a lán plé ar phatrúin chomaitéireachta i gCeantar Bhaile Átha Cliath, go dtí seo ní raibh mórán ar eolas faoi phatrúin chomaitéireachta áitiúla agus réigiúnacha in Iarthar na hÉireann. “Líonann an tuarascáil seo an bhearna sin agus cabhraíonn sí linn tuiscint i bhfad níos fearr a fháil ar cá háit a gcónaíonn agus a n-oibríonn daoine, agus ar an gcineál oibre a dhéanann siad. Leis an eolas sin uile, beimid in ann treoir níos fearr a thabhairt do bheartais maidir le lonnú fiontar agus beimid in ann riachtanais oideachais, oiliúna agus iompair a aithint,” a dúirt sí.

Dúirt Deirdre Frost, Anailíseoir Beartais leis an WDC a d’oibrigh ar an tuarascáil, “Tá fostaíocht i gceantar saothair Chora Droma Rúisc an-scaipthe amach i gcomparáid le ceantair saothair eile a scrúdaíodh i Réigiún an Iarthair. Léiríonn an tuarascáil tábhacht na fostaíochta i gceantair tuaithe chomh maith, agus tugann sí le fios nach mbaineann an chuid den fhostaíocht sin leis an talmhaíocht. I gceantar saothair Chora Droma Rúisc, ní raibh ach 21.1% den fhostaíocht suite sa bhaile féin, agus bhain 45.1% den fhostaíocht le ceantair tuaithe i gContae Liatroma. Is dócha go bhfuil sé sin mar thoradh ar mhéid sách beag bhaile Chora Droma Rúisc, agus cineál tuaithe na gceantar mórthimpeall air.”

Dúirt an tUasal Frost freisin, “Don tuarascáil seo rinneamar anailís ar phatrúin taistil chun na hoibre do chathair na Gaillimhe, d’Inis, do Chaisleán an Bharraigh, do bhaile Ros Comáin, do Shligeach, do Leitir Ceanainn agus do Chora Droma Rúisc, agus léiríonn na sonraí gurb é Cora Droma Rúisc an ceantar saothair ina bhfuil an céatadán is airde oibrithe a dhéanann comaitéireacht fhada (níos mó ná 50km).”

“Léirigh sí freisin go bhfuil próifíl aoise na ndaoine a oibríonn sa cheantar saothair ar cheann de na próifílí is sine sna ceantair saothair uile, agus go bhfuil céatadán na ndaoine le hoideachas tríú leibhéal i gceantar saothair Chora Droma Rúisc, 36.3%, níos lú ná an leibhéal náisiúnta de 43%.”

Rud a léiríonn an easpa deiseanna fostaíochta do chéimithe sa bhaile ná go bhfuil sciar na ndaoine le hoideachas tríú leibhéal atá fostaithe lasmuigh de bhaile Chora Droma Rúisc beagán níos mó ná sciar na ndaoine leis an oideachas sin atá fostaithe laistigh den bhaile.

Fuair an tuarascáil nach dtéann na céatadáin daoine a oibríonn in earnálacha fostaíochta éagsúla leis an meán náisiúnta ach oiread, cé go bhfuil an phróifíl cosúil le ceantair saothair eile cosúil le Ros Comáin. Tá céatadán na ndaoine a oibríonn i dtalmhaíocht dhá uair níos mó ná an meán náisiúnta, agus tugann an coibhneas ard oibrithe atá gafa le riarachán poiblí agus cosaint le fios go bhfuiltear ag brath go mór ar an earnáil seo, is fostaíocht earnála poiblí í den chuid is mó.

Tá próifíl shocheacnamaíoch na ndaoine a mhaireann i gceantar saothair Chora Droma Rúisc éagsúil ón meán náisiúnta freisin; mar shampla, níl ach 32.5% de na daoine sin ina bhfostóirí, ina ngairmithe nó ina mbainisteoirí i gcomparáid le 39.3% de dhaoine go náisiúnta.

Mar fhocal scoir, dúirt an tUasal Frost, “Cuirimid fáilte mhór roimh chinneadh na Príomh-Oifige Staidrimh (CSO) na sonraí don staidéar seo a scaoileadh, staidéar a léiríonn go bhfuil ar chumas Réigiún an Iarthair gníomhú mar gheilleagar stuama réigiúnach a chabhróidh le hÉirinn fás geilleagrach a bhaint amach arís.”

Faisnéis chúlra

Choimisiúnaigh an WDC an Institiúid Náisiúnta um Anailís Spásúil agus Réigiúnach (NIRSA) ag OÉ Má Nuad chun mionscrúdú a dhéanamh ar p

• Over a quarter of all workers in Western Region, from Donegal to Clare, live in Galway city labour catchment
• Workers who live in the Galway city labour catchment have a higher level of education than the national average

Western Development Commission

New data showing the travel to work patterns of workers in Galway should be used to inform future transport planning decisions and to promote the area as an enterprise location.

That’s according to a new report from the Western Development Commission (WDC) which analyses previously un-released Census data to present an in-depth study of travel patterns into Galway city.

Speaking at the launch of the report, Lisa McAllister, Chief Executive of the WDC said, “This is very valuable information as it provides robust analysis of key trends and identifies strong transport patterns. It will be of particular value to policy-makers so that future decisions about regional transport infrastructure and enterprise location are based on solid data.

“The report illustrates some interesting findings such as the fact that the number of people commuting to Galway city from the north of the county, for example from the Tuam labour catchment, is much greater than the number commuting to Galway city from the south; the Gort labour catchment. This shows that there will be greater demand for public transport services into the city from the north of the county and, in our opinion, strengthens the case for the next stage of the Western Rail Corridor from Athenry to Tuam and on to Claremorris,” she added.

The report, ‘Travel to Work and Labour Catchments in the Western Region’, highlights the extensive Galway city labour catchment and portrays the labour supply available around Galway city. The WDC says that it provides evidence-based analysis that should be used to inform regional policy-making, and that it will be an important source of information for employers, state development agencies and local and regional authorities.

Ms. Mc Allister said that while there has been a lot of debate on commuting patterns in the Dublin Area, up to now there has been relatively little knowledge of local and regional commuting patterns in the West of Ireland. “This report fills that gap and provides a much better understanding of where people live and work as well as the type of work that people do, all of which can better inform policy for enterprise location, as well as identifying education and training needs and transport requirements,” she said.

Deirdre Frost, Policy Analyst at the WDC who worked on the report said, “The Galway city labour catchment covers the county and extends into south county Mayo and north county Clare. It is from this area that Galway city draws most of its labour supply. We know that people are willing to drive lengthy distances to access employment in Galway city. For example the report notes that 230 people commuted from the Castlebar labour catchment to Galway city to work,” Ms Frost added.

Ms Frost noted, “Over the last decade, travel to work patterns changed considerably and when we think back to the height of the Celtic Tiger one of the very obvious signs in Galway was long traffic queues at peak hours on all the city’s approach roads. This new data presents an opportunity to inform future transport planning decisions so that we do not revert to long tail backs as the economy recovers.”

It also found that the age profile of the Galway city labour catchment is one of the youngest in the Western Region and that workers living in the Galway city labour catchment have a higher level of education than the national average.

She concluded, “We welcome the Central Statistics Office’s (CSO) decision to release the data for this study which shows that the Western Region has huge potential to be a regionally smart economy that will help foster Ireland’s return to economic growth.”

Background Information

The WDC commissioned the National Institute for Spatial and Regional Analysis (NIRSA) at NUI Maynooth to examine in detail the commuting patterns of those at work in the Western Region. In this publication, Travel to Work and Labour Catchments in the Western Region: A Profile of Seven Town Labour Catchments, the WDC draws on the NIRSA report to compile an examination of the travel to work patterns in each of the principal towns in the seven counties of the Western Region.

This present report identifies 45 labour catchments in the Western Region (counties Donegal, Sligo, Leitrim, Roscommon, Mayo, Galway and Clare) and provides a detailed labour market profile for seven towns; the largest town in each of the seven counties which comprise the Western Region; Galway, Ennis, Sligo, Letterkenny, Castlebar, Roscommon and Carrick-on-Shannon.

Tarraingíonn Tuarascáil nua an WDC aird ar Éilimh Thábhachtacha Iompair i gCathair agus i gContae na Gaillimhe

Cónaíonn breis agus aon cheathrú de na hoibrithe uile i Réigiún an Iarthair, a théann ó Dhún na nGall go dtí an Clár, i gceantar saothair Chathair na Gaillimhe

Tá leibhéal oideachais oibrithe a chónaíonn i gceantar saothair chathair na Gaillimhe níos airde ná an meánleibhéal náisiúnta

- Coimisiún Forbartha an Iarthair

Ba chóir sonraí nua a léiríonn patrúin taistil chun na hoibre oibrithe i nGaillimh a úsáid chun treoir a thabhairt do chinntí amach anseo maidir le pleanáil iompair agus chun an ceantar a chur chun cinn mar shuíomh d’fhiontair.

Sin a thugtar le fios i dtuarascáil nua ó Choimisiún Forbartha an Iarthair (WDC) ina ndearnadh anailís ar shonraí Daonáirimh nár scaoileadh go dtí seo d’fhonn staidéar domhain ar phatrúin taistil chun cathair na Gaillimhe a chur ar fáil.

Agus í ag labhairt ag seoladh na tuarascála, dúirt Lisa McAllister, Príomhfheidhmeannach an WDC, “Is faisnéis thar a bheith luachmhar í an fhaisnéis seo mar cuireann sí anailís urrúnta ar threochtaí príomhúla ar fáil agus aithníonn sí patrúin láidre iompair. Beidh sí an-tábhachtach do dhéantóirí beartais mar cuirfidh sí ar a gcumas cinntí faoin mbonneagar iompair réigiúnach agus faoi lonnú fiontar a bhunú ar shonraí cruinne amach anseo.”

“Tá roinnt torthaí suimiúla sa tuarascáil, mar shampla, déanann i bhfad níos mó daoine comaitéireacht go cathair na Gaillimhe ó thuaisceart an chontae, mar shampla ó cheantar saothair Thuama, ná mar a dhéanann comaitéireacht go cathair na Gaillimhe ón deisceart, is é sin, ó cheantar saothair an Ghoirt. Mar sin, is léir go mbeidh éileamh níos mó ar sheirbhísí iompair poiblí go dtí an chathair ó thuaisceart an chontae, agus inár dtuairim, taispeánann sé sin go soiléir gur chóir an chéad chéim eile de Chonair Iarnróid an Iarthair, ó Bhaile Átha an Rí go Tuaim agus ar aghaidh go Clár Chlainne Mhuiris, a thógáil,” a dúirt sí freisin.

Sa tuarascáil, ‘Travel to Work and Labour Catchments in the Western Region’, tarraingítear aird ar cheantar saothair mór chathair na Gaillimhe agus déantar cur síos ar an soláthar lucht saothair atá ar fáil timpeall ar an gcathair. De réir an WDC, cuireann sí anailís fianaise-bhunaithe ar fáil ar chóir í a úsáid chun treoir a thabhairt do dhéanamh beartas réigiúnach, agus beidh sí ina foinse thábhachtach faisnéise d’fhostóirí, do ghníomhaireachtaí forbartha stáit agus d’údaráis áitiúla agus réigiúnacha.

Mhínigh an tUasal McAllister, cé go ndearnadh a lán plé ar phatrúin chomaitéireachta i gCeantar Bhaile Átha Cliath, go dtí seo ní raibh mórán ar eolas faoi phatrúin chomaitéireachta áitiúla agus réigiúnacha in Iarthar na hÉireann. “Líonann an tuarascáil seo an bhearna sin agus cabhraíonn sí linn tuiscint i bhfad níos fearr a fháil ar cá háit a gcónaíonn agus a n-oibríonn daoine, agus ar an gcineál oibre a dhéanann siad. Leis an eolas sin uile, beimid in ann treoir níos fearr a thabhairt do bheartais maidir le lonnú fiontar agus beimid in ann riachtanais oideachais, oiliúna agus iompair a aithint,” a dúirt sí.

Dúirt Deirdre Frost, Anailíseoir Beartais leis an WDC a d’oibrigh ar an tuarascáil, “Clúdaíonn ceantar saothair chathair na Gaillimhe contae na Gaillimhe, cuid de dheisceart chontae Mhaigh Eo agus cuid de thuaisceart Chontae an Chláir. Tagann formhór sholáthar lucht saothair chathair na Gaillimhe ón gceantar seo. Tá a fhios againn go bhfuil daoine toilteanach achair fhada a thiomáint chun teacht ar fhostaíocht i gcathair na Gaillimhe. Mar shampla, léiríonn an tuarascáil go ndéanann 230 duine comaitéireacht ó cheantar saothair Chaisleán an Bharraigh go cathair na Gaillimhe le haghaidh na hoibre,” a dúirt an tUasal Frost.

Dúirt an tUasal Frost freisin, “Le deich mbliana anuas tá athrú suntasach tagtha ar phatrúin taistil chun na hoibre, agus ní mór a chuimhneamh gurbh é ceann de na comharthaí is soiléire den Tíogar Ceilteach i nGaillimh na scuainí fada tráchta ar shráideanna isteach uile na cathrach le linn buaic-amanna. Tugann na sonraí nua seo deis dúinn treoir a thabhairt do chinntí pleanála iompair amach anseo chun nach gcruthófar scuainí fada tráchta arís nuair a thiocfaidh an geilleagar chuige féin.”

Fuair an tuarascáil freisin go bhfuil próifíl aoise cheantar saothair chathair na Gaillimhe ar cheann de na próifílí is óige i Réigiún an Iarthair agus go bhfuil leibhéal oideachais oibrithe a chónaíonn i gceantar saothair chathair na Gaillimhe níos airde ná an meánleibhéal náisiúnta.

Mar fhocal scoir, dúirt sí, “Cuirimid fáilte mhór roimh chinneadh na Príomh-Oifige Staidrimh (CSO) na sonraí don staidéar seo a scaoileadh, staidéar a léiríonn go bhfuil ar chumas Réigiún an Iarthair gníomhú mar gheilleagar stuama réigiúnach a chabhróidh le hÉirinn fás geilleagrach a bhaint amach arís.”

Faisnéis chúlra

Choimisiúnaigh an WDC an Institiúid Náisiúnta um Anailís Spásúil agus Réigiúnach (NIRSA) ag OÉ Má Nuad chun mionscrúdú a dhéanamh ar phatrúin chomaitéireachta na ndaoine a oibríonn i Réigiún an Iarthair. San fhoilseachán seo, Travel to Work and Labour Catchments in the Western Region: A Profile of Seven Town Labour Catchments, úsáideann an WDC tuarascáil an NIRSA chun imscrúdú a dhéanamh ar na patrúin taistil chun na hoibre i ngach ceann de na bailte príomhúla sna seacht gcontae i Réigiún an Iarthair.

Aithníonn an tuarascáil seo 45 ceantar saothair i Réigiún an Iarthair (contaetha: Dún na nGall, Sligeach, Liatroim, Ros Comáin, Maigh Eo, Gaillimh agus an Clár) agus tugann sé próifíl mhionchruinn den mhargadh saothair sna seacht mbaile is mó sna seacht gcontae atá i Réigiún an Iarthar: Gaillimh, Inis, Sligeach, Leitir Ceanainn, Caisleán an Bharraigh, Ros Comáin agus Cora Droma Rúisc.

– Relive Galway’s Volvo Ocean Race Festivities

The Western Development Commission (WDC) and Let’s Do It Galway have announced that the exhibition of photographs from the LookWest.ie & Pix.ie Volvo Ocean Race Festival photo competition will run for the month of September in Galway’s Eyre Square Centre.

Ger Conran's 1st place photo

The exhibition will feature the best 100 photographs from the competition which captured the fun and entertainment that took place during the festival in June.

Admission is free and open to the public from 9am to 7pm Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays, from 9am to 9pm on Thursdays and Fridays, and from 11am to 7pm on Sundays.

Joanne Grehan of the WDC said, “We ran the exhibition of the top 100 photos over a weekend in August and it was a great success with over 1,000 people visiting it. Now we are bringing it to the Eyre Square Centre for more people to have the chance to revisit the two weeks of glorious sunshine when Galway played host to Ireland’s largest sporting event in June. We are enormously grateful to the Eyre Square Centre for giving us the space to display the photos which cover everything from the opening ceremony, the boats and the air show, to the entertainment, excitement and fun of the race village. The photos really capture the city, its people and its visitors, and anyone with 10 or 15 minutes to spare at some stage over the next month should pop in to have a look. It’s a great way to remember the fantastic festival in June and to remind ourselves of what Galway achieved by hosting it.”

Ms Grehan added, “The success of the photo competition really amazed us. As the people of Galway will know well at this stage, we smashed the previous record of uploaded photos from an Irish event with over 17,000 photos of Galway uploaded to a worldwide audience, making it a fantastic opportunity to promote Galway and the Western Region. After September the exhibition will travel to a number of locations around Ireland – continuing to promote Galway and the Western Region through Ireland’s largest ever photo sharing project.”

Maria Moynihan of Let’s Do It Galway said, “The LookWest.ie and Pix.ie photo competition was one of the major successes of the two-week stopover in Galway of the Volvo Ocean Race. The fact that a record of 17,000 pictures now exists will forever keep the event live in people’s memories. This exhibition in the Eyre Square Centre will feature the top 100 pictures but there are thousands of others that are well worth a look at http://pix.ie/go/lookwest and I would encourage people to also go online to have a look at them.”

The photo competition and exhibition were sponsored by The Western Development Commission (WDC) as part of its work to highlight the ‘Creative West’ as the Western Region rapidly becomes Ireland’s hub for the creative industries.

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For further information please contact:

Joanne Grehan, WDC, 086 856 5802

Or

Angela Bane, Bane Mullarkey, 087 286 5217

Notes to editors on the Western Development Commission (WDC)

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

The WDC’s strategic goals are:

1. Contribute to balanced regional development by ensuring that the Western Region maximises its full potential for economic and social development.
2. Promote the benefits of living, working and doing business in the Western Region.
3. Support the sustainable economic and social development of the rural economy.
4. Provide risk capital to SMEs and social enterprises.

www.wdc.ie and www.lookwest.ie