Economic Development, Enterprise and Employment

In recent years, Carlow has experienced an increase in economic activity across most sectors. While the local economy is expanding and is diversifying it is taking place at a slower pace than the national average.

Carlow has a strategic location proximate to Dublin and its economy is expanding and diversifying albeit at a slower pace than the national average. Traditionally the economy of the county has been characterised by education, engineering, manufacturing and food manufacturing, based on commodities produced in a rich agricultural hinterland. The industrial base is slowly expanding and is now made up of a wider variety of industries ranging from multi-national enterprises employing skilled workforces to smaller indigenous enterprises serving local to international markets. Total local jobs in the county were recorded in excess of 16,000 in 2016. However, over 6,000 people commute from County Carlow to work. Those who commute to work outside of the county are more likely than those who live and work in Carlow to have a third-level qualification and to work in professional services. It is recognised that there is significant potential for investment in County Carlow at a local, national and international level. The county has a skilled and educated workforce, a central and accessible location, a clean environment with attractive towns, villages and countryside, high quality educational facilities and an excellent quality of life.

Employment Profile

Carlow Town is a strategic economic base for the county with a wide range of businesses and commercial uses throughout the town of local and national origin. East Carlow’s economic profile is characterised by a strong agricultural sector, which is driving economic activities in food processing and transport. Across Central Carlow, (most notably Bagenalstown, Fennagh, and Carrickduff) manufacturing industries, almost all of which are small and medium scale, represent a significant employment base. The uplands of Western Carlow – west of the M9 have a mixed economic profile with agriculture remaining a locally important employment activity. Southern parts of Carlow have the narrowest economic base of any part of the county with a reliance on farms of smaller scale with less intensive agriculture than the rest of the county.

Labour Force Participation

The unemployment rate as recorded in County Carlow in the 2016 census is illustrated in Fig 2. Between 2012 – 2019 there was a consistent decline in the number of persons on the live register nationally, in the South-East Region and in County Carlow. The recent unprecedent events arising from the Covid 19 Pandemic will impact on employment levels at a local, national and regional level.

Tourism

Tourism is a significant contributor to the local economy in Carlow. In 2017, 79,000 overseas visitors contributed €45 million to the local economy and 1,215 full time jobs. This represents a growth of 4,000 in visitor numbers, €6 million in revenue and 216 full time jobs on the previous year.

Carlow Tourism’s mission for the sector is to enrich its visitors by offering a unique holiday experience through the provision of the ideal base for active holidays set against the natural panoramic backdrop of Carlow’s rich heritage.

Carlow County Council and Carlow Tourism recognises their role in Tourism by:

• Acting as primary developer of a range of public tourism infrastructure;
• Acting as a link between the State tourism agencies and communities by supporting community effort for major national tourism initiatives;
• Supporting community effort in destination development, including assisting communities to align their efforts with the tourism agencies brand architecture and consumer segmentation model.

Development of the tourist product has been supported through significant investment in the Arts and Cultural Offering of Carlow Town which has taken place including development of the Cultural Quarter in Carlow Town in an area around the George Bernard Shaw Theatre, Visual Art Gallery, County Museum and Carlow Cathedral. Further investment in the tourist offering will continue in the coming years with €500,000 provided for the development of the tourist product in Carlow Town under Failte Ireland’s Destination Town Funding call in 2019 and €650,000 for the Borris Railway Viaduct walking product funded under the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund.

The preparation of the Carlow Tourism Strategy and the Carlow Outdoor Recreation Strategy both currently being drafted will further support the development of the tourist industry / product throughout the county.

The Carlow County Development Plan will seek to maintain and facilitate the expansion of the tourism product by;

• Facilitating the expansion of the existing tourism product;
• Identifying strategic sites capable of accommodating new tourism ventures while ensuring the preservation of the natural landscape;
• Seeking the enhancement of the appearance of towns through appropriate development;
• Seeking the enhancement of the public realm in our towns and villages;
• Ensuring a high-quality design in the delivery of the tourism product; and
• Facilitating the development of alternative products such as eco-tourism, craft, artisan studios etc.

Retail

The retail environment is changing and continued leakage to higher order centres and migration to online sales rather than through traditional on street outlets is posing a significant challenge to town centres. As a result, many of the county’s town centres have suffered from increases in levels of vacancy and dereliction rates and higher numbers of lower value retail users in their core retail streets. There is a clear need to protect and enhance the vitality and viability of town centres which is supported in the RSES for the Southern Region. As such it is important to develop quality commercial environments that will in turn improve the vibrancy and enhance traditional on street experiences in towns and villages throughout the county.

Role of the Local Authority in Economic Development

With the establishment of the Local Enterprise Office, Carlow County Council has a more direct role in supporting economic development and enterprise. The Council aims to facilitate economic development and employment opportunities by providing or supporting the delivery of infrastructure, implementing urban and rural economic initiatives, by the zoning of appropriate lands for employment purposes and by ensuring that planning policy and objectives are supportive of business.