This article is from page 14 of the 2012-02-14 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 14 JPG
OFFICIAL figures that claim that just 3,000 people are employed in Shannon could jeopardize future inward investment in the region, a meeting has heard.
According to maps produced using the data, Shannon is “less significant than Portumna” in terms of job creation. The reporting “anomaly” was highlighted yesterday at a meeting of Clare County Council’s Community and Enterprise, Tourism and Emergency Services Strategic Policy Committee (SPC).
The meeting was told that preliminary figures for Clare from the 2011 census have “understated” by 9,000 the true number of people employed in Clare’s second largest town.
Michael Neylon, of the council’s Community and Enterprise section, said the data is used in official maps produced by the Department of the Environment and agencies such as the Western Development Commission. Mr Neylon said the figure does not take into account Shannon Airport and industrial estate. He explained that the anomaly arises from the legal definition of the town with the data only recording employment within the town boundary. There are actually 12,000 people employed in Shannon when figures from the Clenagh and Drumline electoral divisions are used, the meeting heard.
Mr Neylon said that the data, as used by the Western Development Commission, appears to show that “Shannon is less significant than Portumna” in terms of job creation.
Director of Service, Ger Dollard said the council had brought the anomaly to the attention of the Department and the National Institute for Regional and Spatial Analysis (NIRSA) – the body tasked with carrying out spatial and economic research.
Mr Dollard said the council is concerned that the data “understates” Shannon’s importance as a centre of employment. He told the meeting that the NIRSA had acknowledged the mistake when they stated “it does create an impression that Shannon is not significant employment area”.
Mr Neylon said the data gives a “poor gateway profile” of Shannon in that it does not take into account the number of multinationals operating there. He added that the “apparently small number of people traveling to Shannon suggest it is of little significance to the surrounding hinterland”.
SPC Chairman, Cllr Richard Nagle (FF) said he found it alarming that Shannon could be mis-represented in such a manner. Cllr Pat McMahon (FF) said the understating of Shannon’s importance as jobs centre could threaten future “inward investment” in the area.
Cllr PJ Ryan (Ind) said Clare County Council had “spent a half a lifetime trying to promote Shannon” only for people in the “background” to hinder their efforts. He told the meeting that investment in the area is needed, stating that there are currently 45 empty industrial buildings in Shannon.
Mayor of Ennis, Cllr Michael Guilfoyle (Ind) said the matter should be brought to the attention of Clare’s Oireachtas members.