Wexford

Location Location Location!

“Wexford provides an excellent environment for inward investment and a thriving indigenous sector…..Wexford has a terrific product, close to Dublin, the capital and central economic power base and to Rosslare Europort“

Eddie Breen Former County Manager/Head of Local Government, Wexford County Council

Strategic Position

County Wexford is located in the South East of Ireland, the fifth largest region,  with a population of just under 497,305.

The County has a distinctive settlement pattern with five major centres of population – Wexford Town, Enniscorthy, New Ross, Gorey, and Bunclody. Wexford  has experienced strong levels of population growth in recent years typically in close proximity to urban areas. This directly reflects the extension of the Dublin commuter belt.

Wexford town is the both the largest town in the South east, and the administrative centre of County Wexford. It has population of 19,818, rising countywide to 145,273 (Census 2011)

The significantly upgraded  N9 and N11/M11 road network provides Wexford with access and connectivity.  The planned  Enniscorthy by-pass project will expand the motorway to Dublin, representing an additional valuable infrastructure project for County Wexford and further reducing journey time to and from the Capital city Dublin.

The National Airport in Dublin with 1,500 international flights daily, is within a 120km commute of Wexford and Waterford Airport is within 46km, providing direct air access to London, Birmingham, Manchester and a number of international destinations.

Wexford has a rich agricultural hinterland combined with 120km of coastline providing a wealth of opportunity and resources.

Rosslare Europort is located 11 km south of Wexford town.  As the closest point from southern Ireland to mainland Europe, the port provides vital access to export markets in the UK and France.  An average 1 million passengers are catered for annually. New Ross Port, specialising in the handling of dry and liquid bulk, is located  37km from Wexford town and is Ireland’s only inland port. In addition,  Belview Port is within 40km of Wexford Town. It provides a hub for the integration of port, shipping, road and rail freight services.

Lower Relative Costs 

Wexford remains an attractive alternative to Dublin with lower labour costs, a more competitive rental base for property and relatively lower cost of standard of living matched by a quality life style.   Living accommodation is very affordable with houses prices up to 43% cheaper than in Dublin.  Prime office space property in Wexford is €8 per square meter up to 40% less than Dublin city rates.

The Case for Wexford

Multinational companies consistently make a business strong case for choosing Wexford:

  • The good road connectivity to Dublin
  • The location of Rosslare Europort and access to the UK and Europe
  • Ease of access to their operations by visiting clients and senior management
  • Competitive access to export markets
  • Access to a large skills pool from third level education colleges in  Waterford and Carlow IT, Wexford.

But thats not all – Multinational companies cite LIFESTYLE  as a key factor in the location decision for Wexford.