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8 Socio-Economic Assessment

8.3 County Carlow

Carlow is an inland county. The River Slaney flows through its eastern part, which is an extension of the granite area of County Wicklow. West of this lies the fertile limestone land of the Barrow valley, and beyond to the north-west is pleasant upland country.

The County Carlow Development Plan 1997 promotes the development and vitality of the county in a manner that reflects the needs of its present and future citizens. Carlow County Council aim to continue the programme of road realignment and strengthening work, which will ensure high quality links with Dublin, the ports and the Midlands.

The 1996 Census of Population recorded the population of County Carlow as 41,616 persons, an increase of 4.5 per cent on the figure of 39,820 persons recorded in 1981. Although the population of the county did not increase by a substantial figure during these intercensal periods, there has been significant household formation. This is particularly the case in Carlow town where there has been a considerable increase in the resident population commuting to the general Dublin area, using both public and private modes of transport. Population totals for each of the larger centres in the county are given below:

The development plan includes a series of population projections for the county up to 2011 and these are given below:

County Carlow Population Projections

Year	1996	2001	2006	2011
Carlow County	41,616	42,387	42,974	43,582

Carlow Town

The county town of Carlow is said to be the Celtic Centre of Ireland. Carlow is situated on the River Barrow and on the intersection of the N9 with the N80, linking Carlow with Portlaosie and Rosslare. Carlow town also has the advantage of the presence of a rail line station on the Dublin to Waterford route. Transportation infrastructure makes Carlow accessible to and from national ports and regional centres

The environs of Carlow have undergone a dramatic increase in population over the 10-year period rising by 91 per cent between 1981-1991. In 1996 the population of Carlow and Environs was 14,979 a growth of 17 per cent since 1981. The Carlow County Development Plan 1997 envisages the bulk of the 2001 projected population increase for the County to be accommodated within Carlow Environs.

Within the Carlow County Development Plan 1997 it is a policy to examine the feasibility of a national primary bypass of Carlow town. A by-pass route for the town is indicated on the development plan maps.

The development of a road system linking population and employment centres to the rest of the nation and also to the country's sea and air ports is an essential element in facilitating the development of Carlow. An efficient transport system plays a major role in influencing investment decisions, particularly in the case of industry where accessibility and centrality have become such important elements of manufacturing and distribution. The link with Dublin has improved with the realignment at Bolton Hill and the recent completion of the motorway, terminating at Kilcullen. The upgrading of the N9 to Euroroute status is considered important to the completion of the required access improvements. It is the policy of the Council to develop a safe an efficient road system for the county, which will cater for its development needs into the next century.

The portion of those employed in manufacturing has only marginally increased since the 1970s, when two multinational firms, Lapple (Ireland) Ltd. and Braun (Ireland) Ltd. were established. Other industry in the town includes the Greencore Sugar Company, Oglesby & Butler, Process Control and Automation. Industrial estates include Strawhall and Kernanstown.

The Carlow Institute of Technology has a student population 2500 (1997) estimated to rise to 4000 in 2000. St Patrick's College had a student population of 200 in 1997 offering adult education in third level qualifications and is included as an institution in the CAO/CAS application process.

Muinebheag

Muinebheag (formally Bagenalstown) is situated on the eastern bank of the River Barrow, approximately 16 kilometres south of Carlow town, 21 kilometres north-east of Kilkenny City and 100 kilometres from Dublin. Muinebheag acts as a local service centre. The town depends to a great extent on its rural hinterland. The town is accessed by road from the N9 at the Royal Oak junction and by rail from the Dublin and Waterford railway line.

Laid out in the 18th century on a grid system, the river and the rail line have constrained the western and eastern expansion of the town. The population decreased by 3 per cent between 1986 and 1996. The population was recorded in 1996 at 2,695 persons, 1.4 per cent increase since 1981. Although the Carlow County Development Plan 1997 includes population projections for the county it does not allocate growth to specific locations.

Agriculture is important to the urban centre due to the high percentage of land in the vicinity, which is suitable for intensive farming. Muinebheag also has some employment based on the manufacturing of agricultural related machinery both for the home and export markets.