downloads/RPGs/Border Regional Authority RPGs 2010-2022.pdf

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Border Regional Authority Planning Guidelines 2010 – 2022 – CHAPTER 1 • Letterkenny’s overall GDI score is 3.2. This is well below the national average, and is one of the lowest Gateway scores. • Conclusions and implications: the present results for Letterkenny must be treated as provisional, given the absence of Northern Ireland data for this linked Gateway. Taking Letterkenny as a stand-alone Gateway, despite considerable growth over the past decade, it has not progressed towards the national average on most GDI Domains. Sligo • The overall GDI score for Sligo is 5.0, just on the national average. • Conclusions and implications: Sligo is showing considerable promise as a Gateway, and has held its position at the national average GDI score during a period when that average rose. Its urban core is somewhat weaker than its catchment. 2 Relative to the other Gateways outside the Region, Sligo performed quite well with a score of 5 as only Galway (5.6), Cork (5.8), and Dublin (5.4) recorded scores above the average. Like Dundalk and Letterkenny, the other Gateways of Athlone/Tullamore/Mullingar (3.6), Limerick/Shannon (4.7) and Waterford (3.7) all recorded scores below the average. The findings of this study indicate that there are significant challenges, especially for the Gateways of Dundalk and Letterkenny, in this Region. The scores provided in this research may form a baseline for future monitoring of the performance of Gateways. Ultimately, the aim will be to improve the score rating of each principal settlement, as outlined through the Gateway Development Index. It is also proposed to roll out this assessment to all Hubs throughout the country, but this will be subject to future funding. 1.7 ECONOMY AND EMPLOYMENT There were 217,400 persons at work in the Border in Q2 2007. Unemployment in the Region stood at 5.3% in the same period, compared to 4.5% nationally. The regional participation 3 rate, at 61.1%, was slightly behind the national rate of 63.4%. Since then however, employment levels in the region have seriously deteriorated and latest data (Q4, 2009) indicates that unemployment now stands at 13.3% in the Border Region compared with 12.4% in the state. Rising unemployment level therefore pose significant challenges for the Region both in terms of preventing long term unemployment and substantial out-migration and a ‘brain drain’ of indigenous talent. As outlined in table 1.3., in terms of absolute employment levels, the largest employer in the Border is the public sector 4 , which accounts for almost 50,000 jobs (or 22.7% of all employment compared to 22% nationally). This is followed by the construction, wholesale & retail and manufacturing sectors, each employing between 31,000 and 33,000 people. 2 Preparation of a Gateway Development Index Report on Stages 1, 2 February 2009 3 The participation rate is the labour force expressed as a percentage of the population aged 15 and over. 4 Defined here as the sum of employment in public administration, defence, education and health. 17
Border Regional Authority Planning Guidelines 2010 – 2022 – CHAPTER 1 TABLE 1.3 NUMBERS EMPLOYED IN THE BORDER AND PERCENTAGE CHANGE, 1998 & 2007 Sector Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing Other Production Industries 2007 Q2 (‘000) Border % Change Q2 1998- Q2 2007 Border % Change Q2 1998- Q2 2007 National % Of Total Employment Growth Accounted for Border 1998- 2007 % Of Total Employment Growth Accounted for National 1998- 2007 16,800 -16.0% -15.7% -4.5% -3.5% 31,000 -13.9% -3.6% -7.1% -1.8% Construction 33,400 125.7% 122.3% 26.4% 25.6% Wholesale and Retail Trade Hotels and Restaurants Transport, Storage and Communication Financial and Other Business Services Public Sector (Includes, Administration, Education and Health) 32,000 76.8% 39.0% 19.7% 13.7% 14,900 58.5% 27.6% 7.8% 4.5% 10,100 65.6% 40.7% 5.7% 5.9% 17,600 114.6% 68.1% 13.3% 19.4% 49,400 79.6% 65.1% 31.1% 30.1% Other Services 12,200 76.8% 43.9% 7.5% 6.2% Total 217,400 48.0% 40.3% 100% 100% Employment grew by 48% in the Border Region between 1998 and 2007, well ahead of the national rate of 40% over the same period. Agriculture and manufacturing (‘productive industries’), each recorded steep declines in employment, while in all other sectors employment was up between a range of 59-125%. Compared to sectoral employment changes nationally, growth in all service related sectors was significantly higher in the Border Region. Employment in the ‘productive industries’ sector (manufacturing), recorded a sharper decline in the Border Region than in any other region of the country over the period 1998-2007. The main source of growth in the Region’s employment over the 1998 to 2007 period was the public sector, which expanded by 79.6%, and accounted for 31% of the overall increase in employment. The next biggest contributor was the construction sector, which accounted for 26% of new jobs in the Region between 1998 and 2007. At a national level, construction and the public sector were also the main contributors to employment growth, accounting for similar shares of employment growth, as was the case in the Border Region. All sectors outlined above face significant challenges due to current economic conditions being experienced in this country. It is therefore likely that this Region will face higher unemployment as these sectors further decline over the coming years, particularly in the public sector where the Government has made significant commitments to reducing the size of the public sector. The retail sector has grown significantly over the ten year period since 1998, and in 2008 represented 14.7 % of those employed in the Border Region as a whole. Due to the proximity of the Region with Northern Ireland, the sector is particularly vulnerable to currency fluctuations, and the resultant comparative advantages or disadvantages experienced either side of the border, at particular stages in the economic cycle. Due to the further weakening of sterling in 2009, there has been a significant increase in the number of persons resident in the Border Region, and the state in general, crossing the border to shop in Northern Ireland. This retail leakage to the Northern Ireland economy is having a significant effect on the local economy in the Border Region and threatens many local retail businesses and chains, and ultimately 18
Page 1: The Border Regional Authority Údar
Page 4 and 5: Border Regional Authority Planning
Page 77 and 78: CHAPTER 4 Regional Economic Strateg
Page 87 and 88:
Border Regional Authority Planning
Page 89 and 90:
Page 91 and 92:
Page 93 and 94:
Page 95 and 96:
Page 97 and 98:
Page 99:
Page 102 and 103:
Page 104 and 105:
Page 106 and 107:
Page 108 and 109:
Page 110 and 111:
Page 112 and 113:
Page 114 and 115:
Page 116 and 117:
Page 118 and 119:
Page 120 and 121:
Page 122 and 123:
Page 124 and 125:
Page 126 and 127:
Page 128 and 129:
Page 130 and 131:
Page 132 and 133:
Page 134 and 135:
Page 136 and 137:
Page 138 and 139:
Page 140 and 141:
Page 142 and 143:
Page 144 and 145:
Page 146 and 147:
Page 148 and 149:
Page 150 and 151:
131
Page 152 and 153:
Page 154 and 155:
Page 156 and 157:
Page 158 and 159:
Page 160 and 161:
141
Page 162 and 163:
Page 164 and 165:
Page 166 and 167:
Page 168 and 169:
Page 170 and 171:
Page 172 and 173:
153
Page 174 and 175:
Page 176 and 177:
Page 178 and 179:
Page 180 and 181:
Page 182 and 183:
163
Page 184 and 185:
Page 186 and 187:
Page 188 and 189:
Page 190 and 191:
Page 192 and 193:
Page 194 and 195:
Page 196 and 197:
Page 198 and 199:
Page 200 and 201:
show all

downloads/RPGs/Border Regional Authority RPGs 2010-2022.pdf

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?