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Demographic Characteristics
The Shannon complex, set up in 1957, is a unique urban area in Ireland
with an International airport, industrial zone and town. The
industrial estate is known as the Shannon Free Zone, is situated
directly adjacent to Shannon Town and is a major provider of employment
opportunity. Presently, there are 133 internationally trading
companies in the Shannon Free Zone. The importance of the Shannon
Free Zone is reflected in the fact that it has the largest concentration
of industry outside of the Dublin area. Importance as an
industrial location reflected in the fact that 50% of industrial jobs in
Co.Clare are located in Shannon.
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In Irish economic terms, the
number of industrial and traded services jobs in the industrial estate
is closer to that of a small city. The fact that the labour force
(12,558) is larger than the population of the Town (10,000) is quite
unique. Employment has grown substantially but retail development
has not kept pace. As the scale of industrial and commercial
growth continues, the need for an active and vibrant town centre becomes
simultanoulsy more acute.
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