Table 3 lists some of the main employment centres. Modern service companies require high quality office space in areas that offer a good quality of life and reliable public transport. The completed Gardens International Centre, the Opera Centre and the planned Cleeves development have the capacity to add 7,000 additional jobs. There is also existing capacity in Ballysimon (c. 54.6 hectares), Clondrinagh (c. 27.7 hectares) and Annacotty (c. 37.5 hectares). The MASP supports further plans for development of central sites for continued employment growth, which should also add to the core regeneration of Limerick City. The proposed development of the Dock Road provides significant potential. Concentrations of employment outside the City Centre area are predominantly at locations in Shannon, Castletroy and Raheen. The MASP area has capacity for expansion of scale at these primary locations. These strategic locations offer the capacity to cater for companies that complements access to an international airport and third level graduates.
market economy at the innovation edge, where new technologies and business models continuously evolve at a rapid pace, it is difficult to specify jobs targets for every type of economic activity and location in the Limerick-Shannon MASP. However, as a functional economic area, certain assumptions can be made. The NPF, used a ratio of 1.6 between population growth targets and employment growth. Applying a similar ratio to the population growth targets for the Metropolitan Area can provide an indication of additional jobs in the Limerick-Shannon MASP. Therefore, with a projected increase in the population of 30,134 (2026) and 45,132 (2031), additional jobs to 2026 would be in the order of at least 19,000 and additional jobs to 2031 at least 28,200. The recent economic revival in the Limerick-Shannon Metropolitan Area has been generally concentrated on financial service companies, such as Northern Trust, and high-end manufacturing and research, such as Regeneron and Jaguar’s new autonomous vehicle research centre. These sectors place different infrastructural requirements on the local economy.
Table 3 | Strategic Employment Locations
Name/Type
Employment Numbers/ Status
Description
Capacity
Higher Education Institutes
3,000+
25,000+ students with 6,300 graduates per annum. Strong synergies with extended region and local businesses. UL is recognised for the employability of its students. CONFIRM, based at UL, is a new research centre that develops future smart manufacturing technologies. LIT has strong industry connections and is internationally recognised for its industry focused “Active Learning” courses. Largest agglomeration of American companies outside Dublin. Plans to develop SFZ as part of a Mid-West high-tech ecosystem. An established industrial base in the technology and automotive sectors, with Jaguar Land Rover recently planning for a research centre in autonomous driving. Supportive start-up environment with Propeller and Gateway Hub Innovation Centre.
Large capacity for growth at UL including the proposed South Clare Economic Strategic Development Zone (SDZ) and a City Centre Campus. Recent expansion of LIT campus to Coonagh with potential for further growth.
Shannon Free Zone (SFZ)
8,500+ 160+ companies
195 hectares
Southern Regional Assembly | RSES
294
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