Download Western Region

Western Region
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
Contrasting Irish regions
Emphasis on interaction btw human, physical & economic processes!!
The Western Region: Include Galway, Mayo & Roscommon
Physical
Many Mountains created 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
• Soil: Large areas of blanket bogs (peat) in Mayo & Connemara
uplands – hard to exploit
• Gleys common. Waterlogged due to igneous and
metamorphic impermeable 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
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).
• 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)
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.
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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.
Manufacturing in the West
• Traditional & labour intensive…. Food, wood & textile
processing & textile products.
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Production less than 60% national average
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Roscommon has high dependence on food
processing
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Manufacturing is small scale & scattered.
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Lack of employment opportunities plus job losses
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Not attract major manufacturing plants
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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.
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
Galway’s success due to:
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* 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
Future of Manufacturing:
Set up a body to highlight job deficits called the Western Development
Commission. 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
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
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.
Transport
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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
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
• 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
County
Roscommon
0-14 %
21.2
15-64 %
63.2
64+ %
15.6
Mayo
21.5
63.8
14.7
Galway
20.8
67.9
11.3
Ireland
21.1
67.8
11.1