The Greater Dublin Area (GDA region) is an example of a core socio-economic region in Ireland. It is comprised of four counties: Dublin, Meath, Kildare and Wicklow. This core region is often contrasted with the peripheral socio-economic region - the BMW or Border Midlands and West region. The GDA is studied for both higher and ordinary level Leaving Certificate Geography in Ireland.

1. The Greater Dublin Area (GDA)
A core socio-economic region in Ireland
Counties:
Dublin
Meath
Kildare
Wicklow

2. Socio-economic regions
• Are regions that have unique social and/or
economic characteristics that make them
different from other regions.
• Economic characteristics include
industry, trade and employment levels.
• Social factors include education and
healthcare.
• Socio-economic regions can be defined as
either core or peripheral regions.

3. Higher Level 2013 Q 4 C
Concept of a Region
Examine how socio-economic factors can be
used to define regions, with reference to
examples that you have studied. (30 marks)

4. Core regions (such as GDA):
• Accessible wealthy regions.
• Experience the majority of the region’s trade, industry and
governmental influence.
• Have well developed urban-based economies.
• Centres of business, services, government administration and
decision making.
• Have higher incomes than elsewhere.
• Attract industry because they have a skilled labour force, an
educated population, large markets and access to services.
• Have efficient transport networks and are easily accessible by road,
rail, sea and rivers.
• Are centres of high population density and are often centres for
further education, research and development.
• Experience low unemployment and in-migration.

5. Peripheral Regions (such as BMW):
• Less economically developed.
• Lack industrial development and are located far from the economic
core and the centre of influence.
• Often remote mountainous areas or coastal areas.
• Often inaccessible with a poor transport infrastructure.
• Have few services and are not favoured as industrial locations
because they have higher transport costs, which reduce their ability
to compete successfully in the marketplace.
• Experience higher unemployment levels and lower incomes than
core areas.
• Have fewer third level colleges and poorer health services. As a
result, peripheral regions tend to experience low living standards.
• Experience high unemployment and out-migration.

6. Can you think of any reasons why the GDA
region is more prosperous and thriving
than the BMW region?
(What makes it a core region rather than a
peripheral region?)

7. The GDA: Key Points
• The GDA is the core socio-economic region in
Ireland.
• Words such as developed, wealthy, prosperous
and advantaged describe this region.
• This region contrasts with the BMW region
which is a peripheral socio-economic region.
• As with the BMW region, it is the interaction of
physical, human and economic processes that
make the GDA region a core socio-economic
region.

8. GDA Counties:
Meath
Dublin
Kildare
Wicklow
Map – Label and
colour the counties of
the GDA region and
sick map into copy

9. The GDA region
Exam Style Question (worth 20 marks)
Draw an outline map of Ireland showing the following:
The GDA region
One major routeway
o A road
Physical Features
o One drainage feature
 River
o One relief feature
 Mountain range
Two urban areas
o A city
o A large town

10. Homework
2009 Q5 A
Draw an outline map of Ireland. Show and name
the following on it:
– Two contrasting regions
– Two different physical landscape features – one in
each region
– Two urban centres – one in each region.
(20 marks)

11. Physical and human characteristics combine to
influence the type of economic activities
(primary/secondary/tertiary) that occur in the
GDA region:
Physical Characteristics
• Climate
• Relief
• Soils
Human Characteristics
• Population
• Transport
infrastructure
• Government/EU
policy

12. The GDA:
Why is it a core socio-economic region?
1. It is a route focus/nodal point for Ireland’s
road, rail, air and river transport networks.

13. 2. As the capital city, Dublin is the centre of
finance and administration in Ireland. Dublin is
also the country’s biggest tourist destination.
The GDA:
Why is it a core socio-economic region?

14. 3. The region has natural resources:
• Fertile brown earth soils and well-drained lowlands
make the region well suited to profitable
commercial agriculture
• The coastline provides sheltered harbours for the
fishing industry.
The GDA:
Why is it a core socio-economic region?

15. 4. It has a high population density and is an
area of in-migration. It has 36% of the
population (1.6 million) in just 12% of Ireland’s
land area.
The GDA:
Why is it a core socio-economic region?

16. 5. It boasts a modern industrial sector. Industry
is attracted to this region because of its
wealthy, educated population.
The GDA:
Why is it a core socio-economic region?

17. Why the GDA region dominates in the
Irish Economy:
• 80% of state-sponsored bodies are located in
the GDA.
• 70% of major public and private companies
are located within the GDA.
• All financial institutions have their
headquarters in the GDA.
• Dublin city is the capital city of Ireland.

18. 1. Climate
• The climate is cool temperate oceanic.
• Drier than the BMW with average rainfall approx
750mm – less than half the rainfall of the BMW.
The Wicklow Mountains receive more rainfall
because of their height (relief rain).
• Winters are mild averaging 5 °C.
• Summers are warm averaging 15 °C.
• The coastal location of the region means that
frosts are less frequent than further inland.
Physical characteristics
of the GDA region

19. 2. Relief and Drainage
• The relief is undulating (gently rolling) lowland.
This is ideal for commercial agriculture such as
market gardening
• The region is sheltered to the south by the
Dublin-Wicklow Mountains. The steep grounds of
these mountains are a barrier to road
development.
• The region is well drained by the several rivers
that cross the area (e.g. Liffey, Boyne,
Blackwater).
Physical characteristics
of the GDA region

20. 3. Soils
• Unlike the BMW region where infertile soils are
common, the dominant soil type in the GDA
region is fertile brown earth soil. These are
humus-rich soils, derived from deciduous forests
that once covered the region.
• In North County Dublin, marine deposition has
added sand to the brown earths making them
suitable for intensive horticulture.
• Infertile blanket peat is found on the uplands of
the Wicklow Mountains.
Physical characteristics of
the GDA region

21. The development of the GDA region
• The physical characteristics of the GDA region:
– climate, relief, drainage and soils
interact with certain human characteristics:
– population, transport infrastructure and
Government/EU policy.
These all combine to influence the types of primary,
secondary and tertiary activities that occur in the
GDA region.

22. Human characteristics influencing
the development of the GDA region
1. Population
• The Dublin city area has a much higher than
average population density (1,218 people per km²
compared to 60 per km² nationally). This is due to
the availability of work, greater range of services
such as health and education.
• World-class 3rd level education facilities (e.g.
UCD, Trinity, DCU) attract young people to the
region. In turn, this educated population provides
a skilled workforce for industry which makes the
region attractive for investment.

23. Population continued…
• The average population density of the other
GDA counties – Wicklow, Meath, Kildare - is
closer to the national average at 68 people per
km ² reflecting their more rural characteristics.

24. 2. Transport Infrastructure
• Better developed in GDA region than anywhere else in
Ireland but it still struggles to cope with the large
volumes of traffic.
• Transport costs are a major factor in the location of
industry and many traditional city centre industries are
moving out to industrial estates on the outskirts of
Dublin city. Here, the M50 ring road provides faster,
cheaper transport to the airport and port.
• Public Transport: The Luas and Dart have made the city
centre more accessible to people and encouraged the
location of financial services in city centre location.
Human characteristics influencing
the development of the GDA region

25. 3.Government/EU Policy:
• CAP, Structural and Social funds are supplies to the
GDA – as with the BMW.
• CAP: Common Agricultural Policy. This is a system of
subsidies and support programmes for agriculture.
• Structural Funds: Structural funds help reduce regional
imbalance. All EU member states receive Structural
Funds.
• Social Funds: The European Social Fun (ESF) funds job
creation schemes and also funds schemes to help
disadvantages people enter the workforce.
Human characteristics influencing
the development of the GDA region

26. • The GDA qualifies as a competitive and
employment region. This funding improves the
job opportunities and economic attractiveness
of the GDA region.
• Dublin, being the financial and administrative
capital and most densely populated part of
Ireland, is the natural focus for foreign and
government investment.
Human characteristics influencing
the development of the GDA region

27. • As so much development
is focused on the national
gateway city of Dublin,
the other counties in the
GDA do not contain
gateway or hub
settlements under the
NSS. This is to ensure that
other regions beyond the
GDA have the chance to
develop economically.
Human characteristics influencing
the development of the GDA region

28. Several government agencies are responsible for directing EU and
government funds to the GDA region:
1. The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
• Responsible for CAP payments to the cattle and cereal farmers
in Counties Meath, Kildare and Wicklow. Most funding goes
towards research, development and modernisation of farms.
• Funding for horticulture is important for the north Dublin
agricultural community (in areas such as Malahide and
Skerries).
• This department also funds the extensive forest plantations
especially in Wicklow through the Less Favoured Area payment
scheme.
• The Common Fisheries Policy funding is channelled through
Bord Iascaigh Mhara and is focused on the port of Howth.
Human characteristics influencing
the development of the GDA region

29. 2. The Industrial Development Authority (IDA)
• The IDA attracts direct foreign investment from MNSs
to the GDA region.
• The IDA has a network of business parks in the GDA
region:
– Nine in Dublin
– Others in Navan, Bray, Arklow, Newbridge and Naas.
Human characteristics influencing
the development of the GDA region