Munster matches tough criteria of family and career

The criteria people use when moving their families to Ireland from abroad are very similar to those industrialists use when choosing to locate here, according to Paddy Gallagher, south west area director of IDA Ireland.

Responsible for making the case for foreign direct investment across a vast swathe of the country, including Munster, he believes the country's southern province measures up well by any criteria. And he knows first-hand, having spent 13 years working in the US before taking up his present Cork- based position.

"More and more people returning from abroad have the confidence to choose where they want to live first, and then set about finding a job to suit," he explains.

"And what they want is the same as the industrialist wants. Firstly, they generally want to be in commuting distance of educational facilities. The priority here is third-level because second-level education in Ireland is good everywhere. What they then look for is the availability of public transport and good road networks, so they can live 20 or more miles away from where they work.

"They then look at quality of life issues such as cost of housing and availability of amenities. People often decide to come back in order to bring up their families in Ireland, and they want a good environment in which to do this.

" Certainly Cork, Waterford and Limerick meet all these criteria." UCC, Waterford IT and the University of Limerick are among the best known third-level facilities in the Munster region, but there are lower profile places, too, which offer top-quality educational facilities. Tralee, he points out, has a very fine IT. Another area on the up is Thurles which now has the Tipperary Institute and is within easy commuting distance of most of the major towns and cities in the province.

One city that has undergone a dramatic change in fortunes in the last number of years is Limerick. According to the president of its chamber of commerce, David O'Mahony, it is now both an attractive and a vibrant option for people looking to work in Ireland.

Moreover, home ownership costs are comparatively low.

From being a city that, for generations had its back turned to its greatest asset - the River Shannon - a plethora of new retail, commercial and residential developments along its quays have rectified this.

A new marina has also been launched, further ensuring the city 'embraces the river'.

Money is being allocated under the National Development Plan to remodel the city. There are also plans for a new arts centre in order to establish "a cultural heart to go with the new commercial and shopping areas that have already been established, to make it even more attractive for families."

Cork, too, has seen a number of innovations aimed at improving the quality of life of its citizens.

According to Liz McAvoy of the Cork City Challenge organisation, the advent of the Lee tunnel and the Blackpool by-pass have effectively freed up its once congested streets, making it much easier to get around.

Moreover, a main drainage scheme, which admittedly is causing traffic problems in itself, will replace all the medieval culverts in the city centre and effectively put an end to the dumping of raw sewage into the river.

"The engineers promise us that by the end of it, the river will be so clean we'll be able to swim in it, something which has never been possible in my lifetime."

The local authorities have also commissioned Spanish designer Beth Gali to redesign the city centre streetscape around the Grand Parade in what will be a multi-million pound project.

This will put the emphasis back on the pedestrian, ensuring a number of mini-plazas are created to provide a nicer environment, to facilitate street theatre and encourage people to "simply roam", she says.