Economy of Limerick facts for kids
Limerick is a big city in the Republic of Ireland. It's the main city for the Mid-West Region. This area includes Limerick, Clare, and North Tipperary.
Long ago, Limerick's economy was mostly about farming. Industries like making bacon and Limerick lace were very important. The Limerick Port was busy, sending goods all over.
Today, Limerick's economy is different. It has many modern business parks. These parks are home to lots of companies. They are found along the area between Limerick and Shannon. Some big ones are the National Technology Park and the Shannon Free Zone.
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Limerick's Economy: Key Facts
The Mid-West region, which includes Limerick, has a population of over 473,000 people. In 2016, the region's total economic output was about €16.4 billion. This shows how much value is created by businesses here.
Most of the region's businesses are in the Limerick urban area and the Shannon Free Zone. These areas are well-connected by local trains.
Limerick is the third largest city in Ireland. It is also the second largest city in the province of Munster.
Many people work for large international companies in the Limerick area. In 2015, about 14,500 people worked for 116 different companies. Some well-known companies include Dell, Intel, Lufthansa Technik, and Johnson & Johnson (Vistakon).
Limerick also has two major colleges. These are the University of Limerick and Limerick Institute of Technology. Over 20,000 students attend these schools.
Shannon Free Zone: A Major Business Hub
The Shannon Free Zone is a very large business park. It covers about 600 acres in County Clare. It's just a short drive from Ennis and Limerick city.
More than 7,500 people work here. This makes it one of the biggest places for jobs in Ireland. Many different companies have offices here. These include Avocent, GE Capital, and Intel.
Shannon Airport: Connecting the World
Shannon Airport is a very important airport for the region. It helps local companies connect easily with other countries. This is key for international trade.
The airport is the third busiest in the Republic of Ireland. In 2017, about 1.75 million passengers used it.
Business Parks in the Mid-West
The Mid-West region has several business parks. These parks are special areas where many companies are located.
Two important ones in Limerick are the National Technology Park and Raheen Business Park. In Ennis, a new business park called Information Park Ennis is being built.
Westpark Shannon
Westpark is another business park in Shannon. It is built on 40 acres of land. About 50 companies are located here, employing 2,000 people. This project cost 65 million euro to build.
National Technology Park
The National Technology Park is just outside Limerick city. It is close to the University of Limerick. This park is very large, covering 300 hectares. It is home to about 80 companies and provides jobs for 3,000 people.
Shopping and Services
Limerick is the main shopping area in the Mid-West. The Crescent Shopping Centre in Dooradoyle is a very big shopping mall. It is the largest in Munster and one of the biggest outside of Dublin. There are also many other shops in the city centre.
Important Roads
A big road project in the area was the Limerick Tunnel. It opened in 2010. This tunnel helps people travel around the city more easily.
