RTE Business Morning business news

South Dublin County Manager Joe Horan says there have been dramatic changes in the Tallaght area in the last ten years.

Work is going on at 11 key sites, which include residential, commercial and retail developments. Mr Horan says the developments are taking account of spatial planning, with the various facilities within walking distance of each other.

He says the population of the South Dublin council area is now 250,000, up 9% since the last census, with 42% of people under 25.

Mr Horan says most of the projects underway in Tallaght could not have taken place without tax designation, as construction costs alone were €640m.

The council is now looking at a mobility strategy in the county, but says there needs to be continued investment. Mr Horan says the council is carrying out a study on traffic movements in the area, looking at how and why people make journeys, to provide a context for further planning for facilities such as park-and-ride.

Michael Carey, chief executive of the Jacob Fruitfield group, one of the area's biggest employers, says the arrival of LUAS is another step towards improving the area's infrastructure.

He says the town is now probably one of the best locations for manufacturing in Ireland. Mr Carey says the problem of access for employees is no longer an issue.

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