The roads to success

Improvements in international and domestic connectivity have changed the Irish landscape, making the whole of Ireland and not just Dublin, a very attractive place for foreign direct investment.

Better road, rail and air links are feeding in to this, making it significantly easier to do business from anywhere in Ireland.

Managing director and chief administration officer at Kilkenny-based State Street Global Services Cathal Smyth says motorway access from Dublin to Waterford has been key to growth in that region.

“We set up in Kilkenny in 2001 as we wanted to access another labour pool outside of Dublin. It means we’re not relying on the Dublin labour market and you can hire staff in the south-east region and that’s worked out very well for us.

“We’ve grown in Kilkenny and about 60 per cent of staff is from there but the rest are travelling from Waterford, Tipperary, Carlow, Laois and Wexford.

“Motorway access to Dublin was a challenge 16 years ago but now with the motorway to Waterford, it’s fantastic. You can be at the Red Cow within an hour. That’s been a key factor to help us grow over the years.”

It also facilitates client visits, Smyth says.

“Large multinational clients are always going to go to Dublin, because that’s where their solicitors and accountants are but they will come to us for due diligence and good road and rail networks have made that easier and helps the process overall.”

Collaboration and dialogue with neighbouring businesses as well as the IDA, the Chamber of Commerce and the country council in the Limerick region is key for continuing investment, says Catherine Duffy, senior vice-president and general manager with Northern Trust Limerick.

Starting out in 2007 with 19 staff, today it has well over 1,000 employees at its two sites in Hamilton House and City East Plaza.

“Every day we have people coming to work for us from 13 counties and good infrastructure is absolutely imperative for us. Each time we do a jobs announcement, we find there are people who are living in Luxembourg, US, London or the Caymans, who are from one of those 13 counties. They make contact with us because they want to come home with family, to family,” she says.

Shannon Airport

Northern Trust regularly sits down with its neighbours in the region, including Johnson & Johnson and Dell, to discuss what is needed, including access in and out of Shannon Airport.

"For example, last week myself and the IDA, Experia and University of Limerick got together with the council to discuss a traffic issue in the region, and they're a big collaborator for us."

Anna Scally is head of technology and media and fintech lead at KPMG in Ireland. She says continual improvements to the motorway network means much greater connectivity within Ireland.

“A good illustration of this is the recent announcement that the M20 Cork -Limerick motorway will be included in the Government’s 10-year capital plan. This news has been widely welcomed and helps promote the Atlantic corridor as a business location stretching from Cork to Galway and further north. All told, Ireland is very well-connected and this is a key selling point to business decision-makers in addition to a range of other positive factors in our favour,” she says.

For a small, open island economy like Ireland, connectivity to the rest of the world is also essential.

“The good news is that for time-poor business people, access in and out of Ireland has never been easier. For example, as a frequent transatlantic traveller, I have found the growth of Dublin as a gateway to the EU from North America and vice versa fascinating to watch. Dublin is now Europe’s fifth busiest transatlantic hub and the growing range of North American destinations from Ireland is an important selling point to those looking at European FDI locations. For the return journey, the fact that US customs and immigration can be pre-cleared both in Dublin and Shannon adds to the appeal,” she says.