John Kennedy talks to the thought leaders behind the M1 Corridor plan to make Ireland’s North East an outlier for the post-Covid future of work.
ThinkBusiness launched a new way of sharing business stories featuring a wonderful mix of entrepreneurs and business leaders shaping the future. Our podcast series is available on ThinkBusiness every week but also on our channels and via mobile apps on Spotify, SoundCloud, Stitcher and Apple.
In this podcast ThinkBusiness editor John Kennedy talks to Sarah Daly From Creative Spark, Breanndan Casey from The Mill and Thomas McEvoy from Louth LEO on how the M1 Corridor plan will ensure that the North East is poised to thrive in the new world of work.
Thousands of Irish people have been working from home since Covid-19 restrictions were introduced in March and for many people working from home will become a permanent arrangement and for those who will return to the workplace there will be a lot of changes.
In order to return to Dublin offices, many companies will have to reconfigure their office space so that social distancing can be maintained in order to prevent the spread of Covid-19. Employees’ time in the office could be limited to maybe one-to-two days per week due to space restrictions.
Capacity in meeting rooms will be reduced due to social distancing, meaning that boardrooms which used to seat 12 people will now only have four people around the table, if sitting two metres apart.
There is an alternative solution for those who would normally commute to Dublin on a daily basis.
How the North East could thrive in the new world of work
The M1 East Coast Corridor region connects Ireland’s two largest cities, Dublin and Belfast, with the two largest towns, Dundalk and Drogheda at its centre. Traversing the border, the East Coast Corridor is rich in talent and has a track record for industry and modern infrastructure.
There are 2.25m people within 60 minutes of Dundalk/ Drogheda, over one-third of the population of the island.
The region boasts a significant financial services cluster that includes State Street, Coca-Cola International Services, Global Risk technologies, a digital cluster that includes Stat Sports, SeaChange, First Derivatives and MTI Technologies as well as a life sciences cluster that includes Almac, Bristol Myers Squibb and Siemens. Wuxi Biologics is currently constructing a €325m campus while Wasdell Group is building a €30m pharmaceutical facilities.
Dublin-based companies who have high density office space and people working remotely at present could use existing space at the enterprise centres in Drogheda, Dundalk and Ardee situated along the M1 Corridor. Employees have the opportunity to go to work in a professional setting, avoiding a commute which is often on public transport while also avoiding the isolation and stress of working from home.
The M1 Corridor is a collaborative innovation where The Mill, Oriel Hub, Dundalk and Drogheda Chambers, Louth County Council and the Louth Economic Forum work in partnership for enterprise development across the region.
M1 Corridor offers professional working environments with infrastructure, safety, network in Enterprise Hubs. They provide excellent facilities including high speed broadband as well as areas to socialise with like-minded business people.
Written by John Kennedy (john.kennedy3@boi.com)
Published: 21 July, 2020
