Wexford.... what a depressing read!!

With bad comes good.... at least sometimes. :-)

WEXFORD STRENGTHS
Unique location in Ireland with a rich and diverse geography at the south-east corner of the Ireland.
• With nearby access to the most populated part of the country - the Greater Dublin Area, key settlements in
Wexford have a large population in proximity (280,000 within 1 hour of Wexford Town, 505,000 within 1 hour drive
from Gorey).
• Continued infrastructural developments on the M11 motorway and the N25 will increase potential levels of
accessible populations.
• The location of Rosslare Europort within the county is a major strength and is a key access route into Ireland from
Europe and the UK. It is also a key external access route for goods destined for the UK and EU market.
• Wexford is within easy commuting distance of Dublin and Waterford airports.
Growing
Population
• Wexford is the 13th most populated local authority in Ireland and the population has increased by over 10% in
the last five years.
• Increasing levels in the young age cohorts is a positive sign and suggests a new demographic vibrancy for large
parts of the county in the coming years.
Agriculture • Wexford has a long tradition in agriculture with its ‘Model County’ name emanating from the county’s progressive
farming methods and its model farms. The first agricultural school in Ireland was opened in Wexford in the 1850.
• The agricultural sector remains strong. In 2011, 8.4% of the all workers were employed in agriculture, forestry
and fishing which was significantly higher than the State average of 5.1%.
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Cultural
Diversity
• The ‘non-national population’ in the county continues to grow and this is contributing to cultural diversity. This is
primarily the case in the main urban settlements for New Ross, Enniscorthy, Wexford Town and Gorey.
Tourism • The county has a very strong tourism sector which is a significant and important revenue generator. The county
has a wealth of built, cultural and environmental amenities, many internationally renowned.
• Wexford is the 5th most popular destination in the country for domestic tourists. Domestic expenditure is the
primary source of tourism revenue for the county with Wexford the 5th highest domestic tourism earner in the
State. As of 2013, a total of €107m was spent by domestic tourists in Wexford. This is considerably higher than
any other county in the South-East with Waterford having the closest income at only €49m.
• The number of overseas visitors to Wexford has increased significantly in recent years with numbers increasing
by 27% since 2009. In 2013, Wexford welcomed 229,000 overseas visitors to the county which represented 29%
of the total visitors to the South-East region. Wexford generated the highest level of overseas tourism revenue
than all the other counties in the region with €60m of a total €203m generated in Wexford.
• Wexford offers an excellent and sizeable accommodation base to serve both the overseas and domestic tourism
market. The county has a higher than average proportion of 4* hotels (48%) compared to 36.4% in the South East
Region and 32.6% in the State.
• The strength of tourism in the county is reflected by the numbers employed in the Accommodation and Food
sector. It is a very valuable and sustainable sector in the county. In 2011, 6.9% of the county’s total workforce was
employed in this sector. This rate is considerably higher than the State average of 5.7%. Wexford has the 8th
highest rate of employment in this sector amongst all counties.
Foreign Direct
Investment
• There are 10 FDI companies located in Wexford and while this figure is low, it does compare favourably with
neighbouring counties: Waterford (12), Wicklow (10), Tipperary (10), Carlow (6) and Kilkenny (3).
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(FDI) • Although quite low, employment levels in State assisted companies in Wexford have remained relatively stable
throughout the economic recession and have showed signs of recovery in recent years.
• The FDI companies are involved in five sectors: Medical Technology (3), ICT Hardware (1), Consumer Products
(1), Consumer Goods (1) and Bio Pharmaceuticals (1); all of which offer sustainable jobs.
• Employment in FDI companies has shown no signs of decline and highlights the sustainability of this sector.
Micro
Enterprises
• In total, 91.3% of all enterprises in Wexford employ less than 10 people (micro-enterprises). This is broadly in line
with the State figure (90.7%) and the South-East figure (91.6%).
• Employment in micro-enterprises accounts for 30.9% of all employment in the county-a far higher rate than the
State average of 20.3%.
• The high level of micro enterprises employment in the county highlights the entrepreneurial nature of the business
sector in Wexford. Wexford has the 8th highest rate of entrepreneurial activity in the State.


WEXFORD'S OPPORTUNITIES...

Education • The development of stronger linkages with Waterford Institute of Technology and Carlow Information of
Technology to provide more course and faculties. There are also opportunities to work with other third level
education providers and private education colleges with a view to providing courses in the county.
• The development of improved local bus routes from key settlements in Wexford to both Waterford IT and Carlow
IT would also provide easier access for resident Wexford third level entrants.
• As a result of unemployment there is an opportunity to re-educate a relatively low skilled workforce to provide
better opportunities for employment.
• Given the young population in the county, there is an opportunity to develop a culture of education.
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Older People • The county’s ‘65 plus’ cohort offer a wealth of skills/life learning that could be passed on young people/young
families through mentoring/life coaching.
• County Wexford is signed up to becoming an Age Friendly county. This will offer so many opportunities for older
people and will make Wexford a great place to grow old in.
Housing • The social housing problem in the county needs to be addressed. The response presents the opportunity to
ensure that the design of new housing schemes caters for the needs of the different types of households on the
social housing list.
Facilities • The county’s increasing young population brings with it the need for and opportunities to develop facilities such as
childcare and youth services across the county.
Tourism and
Lifestyle
• The continued development of Wexford as a key tourist destination in Ireland for both overseas and domestic
clients and to maximise the potential of key Wexford tourism destinations.
• Further market and develop the environmental (including rich biodiversity and coast) and cultural assets in
Wexford and highlight quality of life associated with residing in the county, for tourism, and as an attraction to
big/high value businesses
Access • Increased access to key settlements in Wexford as a result of new infrastructural development on M11 and the
N25.
• Further develop Rosslare Europort and maximise the presence of this significant port in the county by targeting
and facilitating industries with export potential that would benefit from being in close proximity to such a port.
Broadband • Potential to improve broadband accessibility to assist higher levels of the workforce to work from home and to
help counteract commuting levels to employment in Greater Dublin Area.
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Gas • The extension of the gas network to County Wexford including Wexford Town and Taghmon offers significant
opportunities to attract industry and businesses to the county.
Urban
Structure
• The county has a strong urban structure with four strong large towns (Wexford, New Ross, Enniscorthy and
Gorey) supported by a network of District Towns and Strong Villages. These provide key and attractive locations
for employment opportunities and for people to live
Retail Vacancy • In Q1, 2014 the retail vacancy rate was 9.8%. This was the 3rd lowest rate in the country. These vacancies offer
opportunities for new retailers to set up business in the county.
Entrepreneurs • The level of mirco-enterprises in the county is a testament to the culture of entrepreneurship in Wexford. There
have been significant success stories in the county and these companies could provide mentoring and guidance
for new entrepreneurs and for second level students to develop and maximise this successful area.