Should Tech firms invest in the South East of Ireland

 Why should Tech Firms invest in the Irish South East?

Ireland is the European home for many of the worlds largest Tech firms such as Apple, Microsoft, Google, etc. However the majority of these companies are based in and around Dublin City. So why should a tech firm consider setting up in the South East?

Location and Workers

The South East of Ireland is made up of 5 counties, Waterford, Kilkenny, Tipperary, Wexford and Carlow. These counties combined have a population of over 580,000 and have the advantage of being close to both Dublin and Cork and has an airport . Of this number there are over 6.000 workers in the ICT sector with around 3,500 of them commuting to work out of the South East every single day and 1,500 ICT students in higher education. 

Tech firms need a skilled workforce and the South East can provide that. The South East boasts a brand new technological university called South East Technological University (SETU) that works closely with many companies in the area (1 in 3 ICT Companies according to SE regional skills forum!) and has a population of 18,500 students. 

Cost of Living and Operating Costs

A big problem facing Ireland at the moment is the rising cost of living. This problem is highlighted by the huge cost of renting in Dublin and the commuter counties surrounding it such as Meath, Wicklow, etc. This is another area where the South East shines because if your workers cant afford to live near their workplace then it can lead to issues recruiting and retaining workers for your firm. According to Numbeo the cost of living in Dublin is 16.2% higher than Waterford (the most expensive city in South East) and 26.6% higher than Waterford when you take into account rent prices.

Not only does this affect workers, but it also affects firms because of the price of renting offices and other property (South East has 50% lower industrial property costs according to Irelandsoutheast.com). With the cost of living in the area being cheaper that means businesses can get an educated workforce at a lower wage than businesses in Dublin.