Secondary economic activities in a core socio-economic region in Ireland - the GDA region (Greater Dublin Area). This is a region that can be studied for the Core Section of the Leaving Certificate Geography exam for both higher and ordinary level. The GDA region is often contrasted with the BMW (Border, Midlands and West) region which is an example of a peripheral socio-economic region in Ireland.
2024.03.23 What do successful readers do - Sandy Millin for PARK.pptx
Secondary Economic Activities in the Greater Dublin Area (GDA region)
1. Secondary Activities in The Greater
Dublin Area (GDA)
A core socio-economic region in Ireland
Counties:
Dublin
Meath
Kildare
Wicklow
2. Secondary Activities in the GDA
The GDA has many physical and human advantages for
the location of industry. Many of these advantages are
concentrated in Dublin city. Can you think of any?
Physical Human
3. Physical advantages for the
location of industry
1. Accessibility: It is on the east coast of Ireland
close to the UK and the rest of Europe.
4. Physical advantages for the
location of industry
2. Port Function: Dublin Bay is a naturally
sheltered harbour and has been a port location
since Viking times. Dublin Port is the country’s
main port.
5. Physical advantages for the
location of industry
3. Availability of Raw Materials: The hinterland
of Dublin is fertile farmland, which provides a
variety of raw materials for the food processing
industries in the region.
6. Human advantages for the location
of industry
1. Well developed transport network: The GDA region
has a well developed transport system which connects
it to all parts of Ireland. Ireland’s main seaport and
international airport are both in Dublin and these
provide a gateway to Europe for manufacturers who
need to import and export raw materials and finished
products. E.g. the silicon disks used by Intel in Leixlip
are flown into Dublin for processing here.
7. Human advantages for the location
of industry
2. High population density: The GDA has a high
population density and a young population (43% are
under 25 years of age), which provides a labour force
and market.
8. Human advantages for the location
of industry
3. Educated workforce: The GDA is a nationally
important education centre. It has several universities
and colleges of technology (TCD, DIT) and these provide
an educated workforce for knowledge based industries
such as computer manufacturing and software
development, both of which require highly skilled
graduate employees.
9. Human advantages for the location
of industry
4. Wealth in the GDA: People are generally wealthier in
the GDA than elsewhere in Ireland, making the region
attractive to producers of high-value luxury goods.
10. Manufacturing in the GDA region
• As in all core economic regions, the range of
manufacturing in the GDA is wider than n
peripheral regions, e.g. brewing, food
processing, printing, clothing and electronics.
• The GDA is the location of many world-
renowned knowledge-based MNCs such as
Microsoft, IBM, Hewlett-Packard and Intel.
11. Manufacturing in the GDA Region:
• Food processing is important in the GDA, e.g.
Cadburys and Jacobs Fruitfield are located in
Tallaght.
12. Manufacturing in the GDA Region:
• The Irish printing and publishing industry is
based in Dublin. The Independent
Newspapers site at City West is a state of the
art plant.
13. Manufacturing in the GDA Region:
• Unlike the BMW region where manufacturing
is concentrated in a few urban centres, in the
GDA it is widely dispersed.
– Intel is located in Leixlip, Co. Kildare.
– Oriflame is located in Bray, Co. Wicklow.
14. Focus on the Food Processing Industry
in the GDA
• Physical and Human factors have encouraged
the development of the food processing
industry in the GDA.
15. Physical factors influencing development of
food processing industry in GDA region
1. Climate
The region has a drier and warmer variation of the cool
temperate oceanic climate, has very few frosty days
and average rainfall is 545mm. Temperatures are high
enough to support year-round growth of grass and its
not too wet to prevent wheat crop production.
16. Physical factors influencing development of
food processing industry in GDA region
2. Soils:
The region has a variety of fertile soils such as
brown earths, loam and sandy soils. These soils
allow a variety of crops to be grown across the
region. These provide raw materials for factories
such as Green Isle and Brennan’s Bread
companies.
17. Physical factors influencing development of
food processing industry in GDA region
3. Relief
The GDA has low-lying gently rolling land in
Counties Kildare, Meath and north Dublin. This
enables the use of machinery. Farms in these
areas are some of the largest and most capital
intensive in the country.
18. Human factors influencing development of
food processing industry in GDA region
1. Government Policy: Food Harvest 2020 is a new
government programme aimed at increasing Irish food
production exports to €12 billion by 2020. As part of
the programme, farmers and processors are
encouraged to use new technology, develop new
products and find new food markets.
19. Human factors influencing development of
food processing industry in GDA region
2. Market: The GDA has a population of over 1.6
million and is a wealthy core region in Ireland. It
provides a market for producers who locate their
factories in the region to reduce transport costs.
20. Human factors influencing development of
food processing industry in GDA region
3. Labour force: The same population that provides the
market also provides an educated workforce for
companies looking for skilled and unskilled labour.
21. Human factors influencing development of
food processing industry in GDA region
4. Transport Infrastructure: The GDA has a well
developed transport system including Dublin Airport
Dublin Port, motorways (M50, M1, M7) and railways.
The variety and efficiency of the transport network
reduces travel costs and fuel consumption for
producers.
22. Case Study:
Largo Foods, Ashbourne, Co. Meath
Background
• Irish company established 1983.
• Leading manufacturer and distributor of snack foods in
Ireland.
• Brands produced: Tayto, King, Hunky Dory, Perri and Sam
Spudz.
• Production facilities: Ashbourne, Co. Meath and Gweedore
in Co. Donegal.
• Employs 360 people in Ashbourne plant.
• Company turnover 2010: €95 million.
• Produces about 15,000 tons of snack food products each
year.
23. Case Study:
Largo Foods, Ashbourne, Co. Meath
Distribution
• Largo distributes its products to mainland
Europe.
• Transportation methods: intercontinental
shipping and road haulage.
24. Case Study:
Largo Foods, Ashbourne, Co. Meath
Location
• Ashbourne is located 20 km north of Dublin on the N2
routeway.
• Company founder, Raymond Coyle, was a local potato
grower in Meath who supplied manufacturers of food
brands, e.g. Tayto, King Crisps, Sam Spudz.
• Coyle gradually expanded his business and now his
company, Largo Food, owns the brands he once
supplied.
• Coyle located his food processing business in his native
area.
25. Case Study:
Largo Foods, Ashbourne, Co. Meath
Raw Materials and Transport
• Most raw materials arrive at the plant by lorry
from Dublin Port.
• The main raw materials – potatoes – are supplied
by Irish farmers in Meath, Dublin, Louth and
Wexford.
• The products are cooked in sunflower oil
produced from seeds grown in southern Europe
(Italy, Spain, Hungary) which are then refined in
the Netherlands. The sunflower oil is transported
in lorry tankers by ship from Rotterdam.
26. Case Study:
Largo Foods, Ashbourne, Co. Meath
Raw Materials and Transport continued:
• Other ingredients include maize grown in
Argentina, rice from southern Europe and
corn from Argentina and America.
27. Case Study:
Largo Foods, Ashbourne, Co. Meath
Markets
• Largo foods supplies snack foods to the Irish
and UK markets.
• 20% of its business market is UK based.
• The products are shipped from Dublin Port to
Holyhead.
28. Case Study:
Largo Foods, Ashbourne, Co. Meath
Production and Packaging
• Production process: highly automated with modern
robotic machines cooking and packaging the snack foods.
• Packaging, manufacturing and food ingredients are
important costs: 70% of crisp packet material is produced
in 3 plants in north Italy and the rest is made in Ireland.
Cardboard boxes used to transport the finished products
are made in Ireland.
29. Exam Question
PLANNING ESSENTIAL before writing answer
Higher Level 2013 Q4 B
Examine the factors that
influence the development of
secondary economic activity
in an Irish region that you have
studied.
(30 marks)
Ordinary Level 2011 Q5 B
Explain how any two of the
following influence the
development of manufacturing
industry in an Irish region you
have studied:
• Transport
• Raw materials
• Markets
• Government and EU Policy
Clearly state the name of the
region in your answer.
(30 marks)
30. Planning – HL 2013 Q4 B
• Answer should be 15 SRPs required. Approx 1 refill pad page.
• Could focus on food processing industry while referring to
case study of Largo Foods.
• Factors = things that contributed to the successful
development of manufacturing or the things that have
hindered the development of manufacturing in the region.
• Discuss physical factors and human factors (see pg 342 –
344).
• Structure:
1. Opening paragraph
2. Paragraph on Physical factors
3. Paragraph on Human factors
4. Closing paragraph
31. Planning – OL 2011 Q5 B
• 12 SRPs required. Approx ¾ refill pad page.
• Structure:
1. Opening par – introduce the GDA region
2. Transport- explain how the good transport system in
GDA helps the manufacturing industry, give example of
Largo Foods
3. Raw Materials – using Largo foods as example, explain
factory location in relation to raw materials (potatoes
grown in surrounding areas, other raw materials
imported and arrive by lorry from Dublin port).
4. Closing paragraph – close by explaining how GDA is
suitable for manufacturing industry.