A new report from the Western Development Commission which analyses previously unreleased Census data to present an in-depth study of travel to work patterns in Castlebar and the surrounding areas, has come up with some findings that those working in the Castlebar area commute more than the State average; that women account for the highest proportion of those employed in Castlebar town, and that education, health, and social work are the main sectors in which people are employed in the Castlebar catchment area.
Where do people work?
Ninety four per cent of those living in the Castlebar labour catchment area work in some part of county Mayo. Of these, 45 per cent work in Castlebar.
A total of 13,757 live and work (the place of work may be (i ) in the town, (ii ) outside the town, but within the catchment, or (iii ) outside the catchment ) in the Castlebar area; 8,823 employed in Ballina; 4,854 in Westport; 2,227 in Ballyhaunis; 1,924 in Belmullet; 1,593 in Ballinrobe; 1,100 in Charlestown; and 1,085 in Swinford.
Where are they commuting from?
Places of work of those living in the Castlebar catchment area are in Castlebar (6,251 ), Mayo rural county (4,437 ), and then Westport (696 ). Two point four per cent of those living in the Castlebar labour catchment area work in Ballina and 5.2 per cent of those who live in the Ballina labour catchment work in Castlebar. Two hundred and thirty people commute from the Castlebar labour catchment area to Galway city to work,
The distances travelled by those working in the Castlebar labour commuting distances in excess of 50km is higher than the State average. There is also a greater proportion commuting short distances (less than 4km ) in the Castlebar labour catchment than nationally.
In what sectors are people employed?
The proportions at work in the various sectors of employment in the town are not in line with the national average. Education, health, and social work are the major sectors of employment and much of this is public sector employment: It accounts for 25.5 per cent of employment compared to 19.5 per cent nationally. This is due in part to the presence of Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology and Mayo General Hospital in Castlebar.
Furthermore, 24.7 per cent of the workforce are engaged in commerce, lower than the State average.
The manufacturing sector constitutes a larger proportion of employment than in other labour catchment areas in the region and is the third most important employment sector in the Castlebar labour catchment area.
What is the employment profile?
Those living in the Castlebar labour catchment area have a different employment profile compared to the State average. For example, 36.6 per cent of those living in the Castlebar labour catchment area are employers, managers, or professionals, compared to 39.3 per cent nationally. The proportion of semi-skilled (13 per cent ) and farmers (5.4 per cent ) is greater than the national average of 11.1 per cent and 3.6 per cent respectively.
What proportion are male/female?
The gender composition of workers in the Castlebar labour catchment shows that women account for 50.6 per cent of all those at work (compared to 47.9 per cent of females at work nationally ). This reflects the relative importance of sectors with high shares of female employment, eg, public administration, health, education, and commerce.
Women who work in Castlebar town also constitute a higher proportion of the workforce in the town than men, 58.8 per cent compared with 41.2 per cent.
Conversely, men account for a higher share of those working outside of the town, 56.3 per cent.
What is the age profile?
The report also found that the age profile of the Castlebar labour catchment area is one of the oldest in the Western region, with the majority being 38.8 per cent between the ages of 30 and 44, and 39.1 per cent in the same age category working outside the town.
What is the educational profile?
The number of those with a third level education or higher and living in the Castlebar labour catchment area is lower than that of the State, 38.6 per cent and 43 per cent respectively. However, of those working in the town of Castlebar, 40.7 per cent have completed third level education.
