Why the West is best

By Kay Kevlihan

Recently released information from the Western Development Commission’s (WDC) Look West website is a definite "thumbs up" for the West of Ireland. Commuters stuck, twiddling their thumbs, in Dublin traffic jams whiled away their long, dreary commutes by dreaming of a different life, a less stressful life, where house prices were affordable and living was easier. Their dreams were sparked by Look West advertising hoardings along the highways aimed at encouraging people to relocate to the western counties.

That dream has become a reality for some, and hopes are high that it will be for hundreds more. One senior executive I spoke to recently, who had re-located from Dublin to Sligo a year ago, marvelled at the fact that he could now leave his home overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and travel to his workplace without passing through one set of traffic lights.

As a keen golfer, he was delighted to have one of Ireland’s best golf courses on his doorstep, where membership fees are a fraction of the cost of the most mundane course in Dublin.

Every facility he needs is within easy reach, and his accommodation is a quarter of what he would have paid in Dublin for a similar-size apartment and location. He was glad he had taken the decision when an opportunity presented itself, and he obviously relishes the gentler pace of life that Sligo offered. "Who wouldn’t want to live here, with such magnificent views and great quality of life? I definitely won’t be going back to Dublin," he told The Journal.

And that quality-of-life message that many rural dwellers take for granted is getting through loud and clear. Since the Look West website was set up in May of this year, over 1,100 people have registered an interest in relocating. The majority of those are young, professional people, with 65% of those who registered under 35 years of age, the vast majority having a third-level qualification, and over one third of those being a postgraduate qualification.

For many it may be a pipedream, but not for all.

IT solution

Michael Callaghan worked in Germany for four years and in Dublin for eight years as operations controller with Microsoft. In order to move back to his native West of Ireland, a number of elements needed to fit into place.

"It needed to be the right mix of career opportunity as well as being able to enjoy a better work-life balance," he said.

He is now based in Kiltimagh, Co Mayo and is employed as Irish Managing Director of CMS Peripherals, a company originally established by Mayo man Frank Salmon in the United Kingdom in 1988. Its Irish base was set up in 1992, now employs 65 and has a turnover in excess of €25m.

The advantages for the company of locating in the West of Ireland include lower costs for premises, availability of a local skilled and educated workforce, low staff turnover levels, proximity to West Airport Knock and improved local services.

"I guess the only aspect of locating in the West of Ireland that is not particularly advantageous is the telecoms infrastructure. The digital divide cause by differences in the availability, quality and cost of broadband services make it difficult to remain competitive in a global marketplace.

"The East/West digital divide does exist, and it needs to be addressed at Government level. There needs to be a concerted effort to ensure effective broadband rollout to smaller towns and rural areas."

Most staff employed by CMS Peripherals live around Co Mayo, and they regard less commuting time, cheaper house prices, more family time, availability of childcare and less stress as the key benefits of working and living in the West, according to Michael.

Happy travellers

Ireland West Airport in Knock was the catalyst that enabled Patricia Ronane to re-locate her successful travel business from the midlands to Swinford, Co Mayo. Mayo Travel, the West of Ireland’s only outbound tour operating business, employs five people who organise charter flights from the airport to places like Lanzarote and Crete. Business is booming.

"The business has developed really well, which is fantastic; but as well as the success on the business side, there are so many other advantages in the West. Less commuting time, cheaper living costs, cheaper house prices and more family time have all been wonderful side effects of the move West. Another big plus to operating a business and living in the West is less stress. All in all, it has been a great move for my business and for me."

The knowledge

Lisa McAllister, CEO of the WDC is heartened by the interest of young professionals in working in the West and sees a young educated workforce as essential for the West’s future in a knowledge-based society. "We have seen very many changes in the demographics of this country, and this is yet another significant shift. These people who have registered their wish to move, mainly from the east coast, put the West in a strong position to attract inward investment into its key towns and cities," she said.

Moving to the West is a positive career choice for most of these educated young people. "The vast majority of respondents are already working in leading industries," she said. "Of those registered, 21% are working in finance, 17% in the ICT sector and 14% in the services sector. Over a third of those who want to head West have more than 10 years’ work experience."

There has also been considerable interest in the idea of moving to the West from outside Ireland and from those wishing to set up new businesses. A total of 35 entrepreneurs have so far expressed an interest in setting up in the region, with 17% of those inquiries coming from abroad. "This is another heartening trend, as the West of Ireland continues to attract fresh blood and new enterprises," Ms McAllister added.

Shannon and Ireland West Airport at Knock and improved roads have made the region more accessible. A positive announcement on the Western Rail Corridor is expected shortly and improved access to broadband would further enhance opportunities. "All of which means that people can live and work in the Western Region in a much less stressful, but healthier and safer, environment without compromising their career opportunities or their lifestyle," concluded Ms McAllister.