Western Region

1. Western Region

2. Peripheral • Underdeveloped • Harsg Climate and Landscape • Low per capita income • Low living standards • Low inward migration – low pop density • High unemployment • Poor technology and infrastructure • Low productivity • Overdependent on Primary sector

3. Contrasting Irish regions Emphasis on interaction btw human, physical & economic processes!! The Western Region: Include Galway, Mayo & Roscommon Physical Many Mountainscreated during Caledonian Orogeny 400mya Mts. Of Galway & Mayo… OX Lowlands affected by Glaciation, Glaciers eroded much of he fertile brown soils leaving poorly drained infertile boulder clay Drumlin belt from Clew Bay heading north east. Glacial eroded landscape of Connemara Eroded & submerged coastline e.g.. Killary harbour fiord

4. Soil: Large areas of blanket bogs(peat) in Mayo & Connemara uplands – hard to exploit • Gleys common. Waterlogged due to igneous and metamorphicimpermeable rock • Podzols found in upland areas, lack nutrients due to lack of humus due to coniferous trees. Area used mainly for sheep grazing. • Vast amounts of glacial drift…. Boulder clay & drumlins (poor soil) • Heavy rainfall, leaching & a hard pan results in poor agric. land. • Climate: Cool temperate oceanic – • high rainfall (1200-2000mm pa), Relief Rain • Moisture laden air forced up over mountains, air condenses and to create rainfall on the windward side • mean temp. 4°C to 17°C, sunshine of 3.5 hours per day

5. Economic (Primary) Limited by harsh climate, difficult terrain and low levels of mechanisiation Accounts for 25% of Roscommon’s economic activity. Country as a whole 10% Agric: Small farms (30% under 10 hectares) 30% of farmers over 65. Up to 50% of farmers are part time Poor soil, poor drainage, high rainfall & hilly. -- Rough grazing of sheep is common – 27% of upland is overgrazed leading to soil erosion Emphasis on beef & sheep (pasture).

6. Very limited tillage due to poor soil (3%) • Majority of farmers depend on subsidies from the EU • 68% of income is from subsidies. • Decline in agric. activity is leading to a decline in rural pop. • EU disadvantaged area, CAP (common Agricultural policy)/REPS (Rural environmental protection scheme)

7. Forestry: Upland areas, marginal areas Coilte (State sponsored forestry company Coniferous trees e.g. Spruce and Pine thrive (grow 5 times faster than elsewhere in Northern Europe) NDP investment – encouages foretsry as it creates employment Mining: Corrib gas field off Mayo coast, worth one billion euro & will last up to 18yrs. Controversy over bringing it ashore & its effects on environment & local communities.

8. Fishing : Employs 600 in Mayo & 1,400 in Galway • Continental shelf – 320km of Irish coast • Plankton thrives as sunlight can penetrate the water • NAD keeps waters warm • NDP invested in ports nd is hoping to expand fishing Industry • Extensive coastline… catch cod & whiting…. Processed which creates employment - clean, salt, smoke, can. • Unfortunately Irish water subject to overfishing, Quotas, embargoes and restrictions due to CFP • Aquaculture: Rapid growth. 26 producers each in Mayo & Galway… salmon & shellfish. • EG. 2001 Clew bay aquaculture worth €13m & employed 230.

9. Manufacturing in the West • Traditional & labour intensive…. Food, wood & textile processing & textile products. • Production less than 60% national average • Roscommon has high dependence on food processing • Manufacturing is small scale & scattered. • Lack of employment opportunities plus job losses • Not attract major manufacturing plants • Lack of agency (IDA) sponsored jobs. • Exception to above is Galway city. Has a high concentration of manufacturing & optical equipment sector & benefits from agency jobs.

10. Economic (secondary) • Why Manufacturing is weaker in Western region: • peripheral & not attractive for investment • dispersed small towns…. not attractive for major industry • poor infrastructure & communications, Limited telecommunications • lack of electrical power capacity • out-migration of brain power. • Less well developed • Low population Density • Poor communications • Exception Galway

11. Galway’s success due to: • * size of city & labour force • * trained labour force • * proximity to 3rd level graduates • * modern communications systems e.g. N6 • Home to Boston Scientific – one of world largest medical devices companies • Est 1994 • Employs 2500

12. Future of Manufacturing: • Set up a body to highlight job deficits called the Western DevelopmentCommission. Wants a range of towns to be promoted as primary growth centres & an even spread of manufacturing development. • Wants to prevent the west becoming a commuting centre for Galway. • The National Spatial Strategy established Gateways (Galway) and Hubs (Tuam) for development • Udaras na Gaeltachta • Upgrading infrastructure under the National Development Plan, broadband accessibility & a bulk electricity grid will encourage future investment. • New emphasis on healthcare, electronics & biotechnology to create modern day employment. • IDA funds • EU funding: • Structural funding – education and training • Regional fund - infrastructure

13. Tertiary Activities/Services Tourism & Communication: Physical Landscape: Water: Shannon…. Lakes, water sports & boating activities. Moy… fishing. Lough Key forest park & lake. Coastal + scenery : Clew bay, Killary harbour, Achill island. Mountains of Mayo & Connemara. Cultural landscape: Antiquities, castles, Gaeltacht, traditional way of life, Traditional Music 2 million tourists a year Galway attracts larger amounts of tourists than Rosc/Mayo. Eg. Galway = €223m pa Mayo €78m Rosc. €19m West of Irl. Tourism struggling due to: 1.Shannon stop over abandoned. 2.Poor infrastructure. Seasonal nature of tourism

14. Future of tourism in the west: Develop infrastructure… road, rail, hotels. Market specific tourist attractions, upgrade services & water & promote clean environment. Develop niche markets like heritage, health farms, angling, golf, sailing. Tapping into Galway & Knock airport potential & need to improve infrastructure. Knock airport… helping business to develop in the area. Over ¼ million passenger per year using the airport.

15. Transport • Limited and under developed • Few national primary roads • Shipping Ports unable to cater for large conatainer ships • Low population density makes it hard to warrant public transport upgrade • Atlantic corridor proposed linking donegal with waterford down the west coast • Western railway reopened

16. High age dependency ratio in the West of Ireland compared to rest of the country. This leads to 1. less economic activity. 2. out migration (young), greying pop 3. increase in average age Population: Low density… 20% of land & less than 10% of pop. 7 universities in Ireland and only 1 in the west, only 13% of graduates find job in the region Galway city has greater economic opportunities & so attracts pop. while other areas are declining. This rural depopulation leads to a reduction in services like schools, shops, medical & transport. NDP developed a strategy to tackle rural development. Castlebar – expanding services sector, relocation of the Dept of Agriculture helped

17. The LEADER programme is EU funded to address economic dev. in rural areas. It develops local action groups. • EG. Language centre in Carna, Galway & families providing accomm. for students. • Mayo: Restore cottage into a wildlife exhibition centre • Community based projects with walking tours, cycle trails & specialised foods like farmhouse cheese. Population age structure of the Western Region