Chamber CEO excited about future of business in Tallaght
CEO of South Dublin Chamber, Peter Byrne

Chamber CEO excited about future of business in Tallaght

HOW did Tallaght go from a small village to an economic driver with thriving local and global businesses?

As The Echo celebrates it’s 42nd anniversary, we look at the fascinating development and growth of businesses in Tallaght over the years.

Up until the 1960s, Tallaght was a small village which was linked to several nearby rural areas, with a population of around 2,500.

When the development of large housing estates and a town centre began throughout the 1970’s and 1980’s and the later building of Tallaght Hospital, the Square Shopping Centre and then Regional Technical College (TU Dublin Tallaght) in the 90’s, Tallaght quickly became one of the largest urban areas in Ireland and has continued its growth.

Now with a population of over 80,000 people, Tallaght boasts several business parks, an Amazon Data Centre, local and global businesses and employs thousands of people locally.

CEO of South Dublin Chamber, Peter Byrne, spoke to The Echo about the incredible growth and development of Tallaght in relation to business.

“Tallaght has transformed in a very short space of time, and I doubt anywhere else in Ireland has seen that level of transformation that quickly”, said Peter.

“In the early 80’s, Cookstown would have been the biggest business park in this area and then gradually you could see the development of other business parks, The Square Shopping Centre, the hospital, the Garda station and the college emerge, and suddenly you were looking at this very, very vibrant place.

“From a business end, you need all of those elements coming together.

“We were able to connect with the M50, and suddenly our part of Dublin had an access route.

“The N4 was turned into a motorway, and the N7, which is now one of the biggest roads only second to the M50 in terms of busyness.”

With this infrastructure, high quality public transport such as the Luas and buses serving the area and ease of parking in Tallaght, it has made it a suitable location for many businesses to plant roots in.

Businesses in Tallaght contribute to the approximately 6,500 businesses that are located in South County Dublin, which also has 39 industrial estates and 46 business parks, all created to facilitate the needs of any type of business.

“Within Tallaght you have lots of small businesses in local business parks such as South City Business Park, Cookstown and Whitestown”, said Peter.

“What Tallaght has is a wonderful mix of big businesses – you have manufacturing, pharmaceuticals and logistics and you also have small businesses.

“The most important thing about having businesses in Tallaght is that people can live close to where they work, and I think if we are looking at work-life balance, that ability to work, be educated, attend the hospital, do your shopping – all of the normal things within close proximity to where you live, it is critically important.

“I look around and I get excited about everything that has happened and what will continue to happen in the future.

“The only thing that is important is that the businesses in Tallaght stay connected with the community, because they are the ones that provide the workforce, and when you have that you have the secret sauce.”

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