Author Archives: WDC Insights

About WDC Insights

WDC Insights is the blog of the Western Development Commission Policy Analysis Team. The WDC Policy Analysis team analyses regional and rural issues, suggests solutions to regional difficulties and provides a regional perspective on national policy objectives. Policy Analysis Team Members are Deirdre Frost, Luke McGrath and Helen McHenry. We will all be posting here. You can contact us here, or use our firstnamelastname at wdc.ie Follow us on Twitter @WDCInsights

Making the Transition to a Low Carbon Society in the Western Region— Key issues for rural dwellers.

Posted on August 5, 2020 by WDC Insights

The transition to a low carbon economy is one of many challenges facing the Western Region and Ireland at this point in time.  Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD, today launched the Western Development Commission (WDC) report … Continue reading →

Posted in Climate Action, Energy, low carbon, Rural Development, Rural Transport | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Covid 19 Pandemic Unemployment Payments in the Western Region

Posted on May 19, 2020 by WDC Insights

  Continuing our analysis of the economic and social impacts of the Covid 19 pandemic on the Western Region it is useful to look at the number in Western Region counties in receipt of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) today, … Continue reading →

Posted in Accommodation & Food Service, Covid 19, Economic Sectors, Regional Statistics | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Remote Working in Ireland During Covid-19 – Initial Findings from WDC/NUIG Survey

Posted on May 13, 2020 by WDC Insights

Introduction The WDC in partnership with Whitaker Institute NUIG has just published initial findings of its survey Remote Working in Ireland During COVID-19, see here. These are the summary results from the national survey of 7,241 individuals across a wide … Continue reading →

Posted in Economic Sectors, Economy, Employment, Regional Development, Regional Statistics, Rural Development | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Working from Home – What are the Regional Patterns?

Posted on May 7, 2020 by WDC Insights

Introduction In a recent blogpost I examined the data on working from home and the trends that have occurred up to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. The data over the last two decades suggest that there may be a … Continue reading →

Posted in Covid 19, Employment, Uncategorized | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Business Sectors and Employment in the Western Region: Exploring some potential impacts of the Covid 19 shock

Posted on April 29, 2020 by WDC Insights

While the detail and scale of the consequences of the Covid-19 containment measures are not yet clear, it is useful to consider, using available data, how the Western Region might be impacted.  There are many unknowns including in relation to … Continue reading →

Posted in Covid 19, Economic Sectors, Employment, Enterprise, Regional Statistics | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Exploring some potential impacts of the Covid 19 shock on the Western Region – revisiting sectoral employment patterns

Posted on April 27, 2020 by WDC Insights

  The Corona virus pandemic and consequent shutdown is bringing, and will bring, a massive economic shock globally, nationally and regionally, but the detail and scale of the consequences are not yet clear.  There are many unknowns including in relation … Continue reading →

Posted in Covid 19, Employment, Regional Statistics, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Working from Home – ‘The New Normal’?

Posted on April 23, 2020 by WDC Insights

Introduction Though unintended, one of the biggest experiments in employment practices is underway globally; enforced working from home. Where possible, Governments have asked that all workers conduct their normal work from home, a radical change from what has gone on … Continue reading →

Posted in Economic Sectors, Economy, Employment | Tagged , | Leave a comment

How are we doing? Changes and Trends in County Incomes in the Western Region

Posted on March 10, 2020 by WDC Insights

The CSO released data on County Incomes and Regional GDP for 2017 last month (along with preliminary figures for 2018).  In this post changes in disposable incomes per person in Western Region counties incomes in the Western Region are examined … Continue reading →

Posted in Disparity, Economy, Regional Development, Regional Statistics | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Submission to the Review of Sustainable Mobility Policy

Posted on March 5, 2020 by WDC Insights

The WDC recently made a submission to the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport (DTTAS) consultation on the Review of Sustainable Mobility Policy and associated background papers. One of the functions of the WDC is regional policy analysis.  The WDC … Continue reading →

Posted in Climate Action, Rural Transport, Transport | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Challenges and interventions for transitioning to renewable heat in rural homes

Posted on February 27, 2020 by WDC Insights

To reduce the carbon footprint of our rural homes, the decarbonisation of the energy used for heat is essential. We have to switch to renewable energy, either electrical (generated from wind, solar or in future ocean energy) or bioenergy (e.g. … Continue reading →

Posted in Climate Action, low carbon, renewable, Rural Development, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment