Measuring Mobility in a Changing Island
A report commissioned by the EURES Cross Border Partnership
Centre for Cross Border Studies
May 2010
Joe Shiels
Annmarie O’Kane
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank all those organisations who engaged with us in profiling their cross-border
employees and, in particular, Justin Gleeson, AIRO (All-Island Research Observatory) Project
Manager, National Institute for Regional and Spatial Analysis (NIRSA), National University of Ireland,
Maynooth who provided maps and statistics for population within 30kms of the border.
Table of Contents
1
Introduction
5
2
The Context of Cross Border Mobility
6
2.1 European Union
6
2.2 North/ South Ministerial Council
8
2.3 EURES Cross Border Partnership
8
2.4 Border People
9
3
The North West region
10
4
Cross-border statistics in the North-West
11
5
Survey of Organisations in the North-West
16
5.1 Survey sample
16
5.2 The Results
17
5.2.1 Numbers of cross-border employees, North and South
17
5.2.2 Scale of organisations with cross-border employees, North and South
19
5.2.3 Organisation sector and cross-border employees, North and South
20
5.2.4 Extrapolate to entire border region
22
6
Maps
23
7
Supplementary Statistics
30
7.1 North South Traffic Flows
30
7.2 Cross-border births
32
7.3 Cross-border Education
32
7.4 Cross-border shopping
33
7.5 Currrency
8
Conclusions
33
35
Table of Figures
Figure 1: Border People page view / hit statistics 2010
10
Figure 2: Numbers of cross-border employees identified in North and South survey sample
19
Figure 3: Percentages of cross-border employees by size of organisation
20
Figure 4: Numbers of cross-border employees by size of organisation
20
Figure 5: Numbers of cross-border employees by size of organisation
20
Figure 6: Percentage of cross-border employees by organisation sector
21
Figure 7: Numbers of cross-border employees by organisation sector
21
Figure 8: Location of 64 surveyed organisations within the catchment area
24
Figure 9: The scale and direction of cross-border employees within the North West
25
Figure 10: The location of large-sized organisations (>250 employees) surveyed
26
Figure 11: The location of medium- sized organisations (51 to 250 employees) surveyed
27
Figure 12: The location of small-sized organisations (10 to 50 employees) surveyed
28
Figure 13: The location of micro-sized organisations (<10 employees) surveyed
29
Figure 14: Annual Average Daily Traffic (5 day week) flows at Border Traffic Census collection points,
2007 (total flows in/out)
31
Figure 15: Average number of daily passengers and cars on cross-border ferry (1 Jan - 21 Mar 2010)
31
Figure 16: Births in Northern Ireland by residents of the Republic of Ireland, by NI Health Board
32
Figure 17: Number of students travelling across the border for education, 2000 - 2007
33
Figure 18: Euro/ Sterling exchange rates sourced from the European Central Bank
34
Table of Tables
Table 1: Residents of Republic of Ireland commuting to work in Northern Ireland, CSO 2006
13
Table 2: Residents of County Donegal commuting to work in Northern Ireland, CSO 2006
14
Table 3: Northern Irish Residents Working in Republic of Ireland, NISRA 2001
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1 Introduction
In January 2010 the Centre for Cross Border Studies was commissioned by the EURES Cross-border
Partnership to provide statistics on the number of people within the North West region who
commute across the Northern Ireland/ Republic of Ireland border to work.
Cross border commuting is typically borne of natural local responses to local opportunities. The
behaviour of large employers and local traditions all shape the social context for the labour market
in the North West where two different systems of labour regulation are in close proximity and
employees can potentially fall ‘between two stools’. This happens when national institutions,
effective at the level of one jurisdiction, do not mesh together with those of the other jurisdiction
making it problematic to handle cross-border employees who might have different expectations,
traditions, and backgrounds.
There are no centralised or categorised statistics recorded on the extent of cross-border mobility at
all-island or regional level. Analysis of cross-border labour is limited by shortages and mismatches of
official data. While the Irish Censuses North and South are excellent sources for looking at labour
flows within states, they have serious shortcomings in the information available on cross-border
flows. Not only are the censuses held at different times, the most recent census in the Republic of
Ireland was held in 2006, in Northern Ireland it was in 2001, but important questions are phrased in
different ways. As the recent Atlas of the Island of Ireland states “of the 1161 Small Area Population
Statistics (SAPS) outputted from the 2001 census in Ireland, our analysis estimates that 32% of the
variables can be matched directly to the Northern Ireland census… this means that over two thirds
of all census variables published in the South have no direct equivalents in Northern Ireland without
manipulation”1. The 2011 censuses in both jurisdictions present a great opportunity to build on the
development of comparative North-South statistics.
In 2001, a report commissioned by the North South Ministerial Council2 identified the lack of
accurate and up-to-date data about the extent of cross-border mobility as a major obstacle to
1
Gleeson, et al. 2008. Atlas of the Island of Ireland: Mapping Social and Economic Change. All-Island Research
Observatory (AIRO), NUI Maynooth.
2
PwC / Indecon Economic Consultants. 2001. Study of Obstacles to cross-border mobility. North South
Ministreial Council, Armagh.
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dealing with issues in taxation, social security, pensions, health services, childcare, housing,
transport, education and training, employment law, recruitment practices, telecoms, banking and
insurance for people who move across the NI-Irish border.
This NSMC report stated that
approximately 18,000 workers (9,000 in each direction), 5,200 students and 4,000 migrants cross the
border to work or study each year, with another 1.7 million crossing to shop or for other purposes by
bus or train. It was suggested at the time that cross-border commuting may be more significant
than the data suggested. Other previous figures on mobility include the 14 million cars crossing the
border at Killeen between Newry and Dundalk every year (the main cross-border road axis) and the
approximately 16,000 patients (between 1996 and 2003) who have formally crossed the border to
receive health care in the other jurisdiction.
These 2001 baseline figures, and subsequent
supplementary figures, have been used to justify the development of cross-border mobility
initiatives over the past decade.
It is beyond the scope of this study to estimate precisely the magnitude of the Northern Ireland/
Republic of Ireland cross-border flows given its fluidity, complexity, and evolution. Instead this study
has adopted a pragmatic and empirical approach to documenting mobility in the busiest cross
border commuting channel in Ireland, the North-West border region of Donegal and Derry. During
February-April 2010 the Centre for Cross Border Studies contacted a random sample of employers
situated within 30km of border within the North West region to examine the number of their
employees who lived on the opposite side of the border. This study sought to categorise the crossborder commuting patterns of 30% of all employees within the North West region, identifying where
cross-border commuting occurs and in what volume. Furthermore this study sought to elucidate the
nature of cross-border employers by identifying those sectors and scale of organisations that employ
people from across the border. While the main findings of this report are centred on a survey of
employers within this zone but are supplemented by the provision of other cross-border statistics
provided by Government Departments and Agencies on cross-border flows. This is the first study of
its kind to link patterns of cross-border commuting to specific organisations.
2 The Context of Cross Border Mobility
2.1 European Union
Any consideration of factors impacting on mobility between the two jurisdictions in Ireland needs to
be set within the wider EU context, and specifically the right to freedom of movement which is an
essential part of EU citizenship. It is also important to reflect on the fact that many of the obstacles
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to mobility evident across European borders are similar to those experienced between Northern
Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. The 1997 Amsterdam Treaty provided new impetus to improve
labour mobility within the EU, and at the Spring European Council (Stockholm 2001) a strategy to
promote the development of a more integrated European labour market was discussed. The first
stage in this strategy is the implementation and completion of the first set of key policy actions to
enhance mobility and maximise the potential of the internal market. The second stage was based on
the establishment of a Skills Mobility Task Force, which met for the first time in June 2001. In its
efforts to enhance the EU competitiveness and foster job creation, the European Council has
identified mobility as a key element for achieving the goals of the revised Lisbon Strategy3 and for
the implementation of the European Employment Strategy4. The designation of 2006 as the
European Year of Worker’s Mobility has provided a broader vision of mobility issues, and enhanced
the knowledge base about mobility flows and practices, as well as the identification of current
obstacles to geographic and job-to-job mobility in the EU. The EU Commission (DG Employment and
Social Affairs) commissioned a study on current trends and practices as regards cross-border
commuting within the EU-27 (enlarged by EEA and EFTA countries)5. According to this study, one of
the biggest problems includes the lack of information and knowledge about responsible offices,
transparency in taxation, and knowledge about the acceptance of qualifications). In the field of
healthcare, a concerted European strategy is being developed to further facilitate the movement of
patients and professionals, simplify procedures and increase the quality of and access to crossborder care6. These developments will contribute to North/South mobility within the island of
Ireland.
3
4
Lisbon Strategy (See www.europa.eu)
European Employment Strategy. May 2009. DG Employment, Social Affairs and Opportunities
http://ec.europa.eu/social/
5
Nerb, G, Hitzelsberger F, Woidich A, Pommer S, Hemmer S, and Heczko P. January 2009. Scientific Report on
the Mobility of Cross-Border Workers within the EU-27/EEA/EFTA Countries.
Final report.
European
Commission DG Employment and Social Affairs (now DG Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities)
Brussels.
6
EU Proposal for a Directive on the application of patients' rights in cross-border healthcare. EU Com (2008)/
0142. Accessed at http://ec.europa.eu/health-eu/doc/com2008414_en.pdf on 8 June 2010.
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2.2 North/ South Ministerial Council
In addition to the European dimension, North/South co-operation in Ireland is within the remit of
the North/South Ministerial Council (NSMC). Strand Two of the Good Friday Agreement required
that at least six areas were to be identified and agreed for co-operation by way of North/South
implementation bodies and six through the mechanism of existing bodies in each separate
jurisdiction. These six areas were confirmed by the NSMC at its Inaugural Plenary Meeting and
included Transport, Agriculture, Education and Health. Effectively, in these areas, common policies
and approaches will be agreed in the NSMC but implemented separately in each jurisdiction.
Examples of actions taken to date by the NSMC in these areas include: the identification of
opportunities for co-operation in relation to Strategic Transport Planning and the establishment of
Joint Working Groups in the fields of Education to consider such areas as Special Education Needs,
Teaching qualifications and School, Youth and Teacher Exchanges.
2.3 EURES Cross Border Partnership
Set up in 1993, EURES is a co-operation network between the European Commission and the Public
Employment Services of the European Economic Area (EEA) Member States (the EU countries plus
Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein) and other partner organisations. Switzerland also takes part in
EURES co-operation. The joint resources of the EURES member and partner organisations provide a
solid basis for the EURES network to offer high quality services for both workers and employers.
EURES has a particularly important role to play in cross-border regions, areas in which there are
significant levels of cross-border commuting. Approximately 660,000 people7 live in one EU country
and work in another and have to cope with different national practices and legal systems and come
across administrative, legal or fiscal obstacles to mobility on a daily basis. EURES advisers in these
areas provide specific advice and guidance on the rights and obligations of workers living in one
country and working in another.
7
Nerb, G, Hitzelsberger F, Woidich A, Pommer S, Hemmer S, and Heczko P. January 2009. Scientific Report on
the Mobility of Cross-Border Workers within the EU-27/EEA/EFTA Countries.
Final report.
European
Commission DG Employment and Social Affairs (now DG Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities)
Brussels.
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Measuring Mobility in a Changing Island
EURES Cross Border Partnership
There are currently over 20 EURES cross-border partnerships, spread geographically throughout
Europe and involving more than 13 countries. Aiming to meet the need for information and
coordination connected with labour mobility in the border regions, these partnerships bring
together public employment and vocational training services, employers and trades union
organisations, local authorities and other institutions dealing with employment and vocational
training. EURES cross-border partnerships serve as valuable points of contact among employment
administrations, both regional and national, and the social partners. They are also an important
means of monitoring these cross-border employment areas, which are a key element in the
development of a genuine European labour market.
The EURES partnership covering Northern Ireland and the six southern Border Counties was
established in 1997. The membership of the partnership includes An Foras Áiseanna Saothair (FÁS Training and Employment Authority), Department for Employment and Learning (DEL), Chamberlink
EEIG: Chambers of Commerce of Ireland and Northern Ireland Chambers of Commerce and Industry,
the Confederation of British Industry, the Irish Business and Employers Confederation and the Irish
Congress of Trade Unions. In Northern Ireland this partnership is part of the wider work of the DEL
European Employment Service under EURES, which deals with vacancies throughout the European
Union.
To date the partnership has:

established a network of trained Euro-Advisers on both sides of the border who provide
information,

advice and placement service for job-seekers and employers interested in cross-border
working or recruitment;

facilitated the exchange of job vacancies between DEL jobs and benefits offices/job centres
and FÁS placement services offices;

carried out research on obstacles to labour mobility and cross-border vocational training;

developed a database of vocational training opportunities in the region and

attended Jobs and Careers fairs and University job fairs in the region to provide advice on
cross-border working and training.
2.4 Border People
The NSMC agreed to work towards establishing a website to act as a central point for cross-border
mobility information in both jurisdictions. Since 2007 the NSMC Joint Secretariat, on behalf of the
Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister and Department of Foreign Affairs, have
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commissioned the Centre for Cross Border Studies to develop an online website,
www.borderpeople.info, to improve access to information that will help people find answers to
problems associated with crossing the border in either direction. Structured around the four
concepts of “Commute”, “Work”, “Live” and “Study” the website is designed to help provide
information on a wide range of key issues, from taxation to social security; recruitment to health
care, transport to telecoms, and banking to education.
Since the Border People website was publicly launched in April 2008 the numbers of visitors and
complex public queries which are directed through the website has remained high, with over 5000
unique visitors each month (See Figure 1). The nature of queries varies considerably as does the
complexities of the issues presented therein. These queries continue to provide an invaluable
insight into the day-to-day difficulties faced by people in their dealings across the border and
interactions across the jurisdictions.
Figure 1: Border People page view / hit statistics 2010
3 The North West region
Within Northern Ireland Derry is the largest urban population centre outside the Greater Belfast
area, and the major city on the North West of Ireland. The city contains key transport infrastructure
for the entire region in the City of Derry Airport and the Port of Londonderry. The city hosts three
major educational institutions: the North West Institute of Further and Higher Education, (NWIFHE),
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the University of Ulster at Magee (UU) and the Open University; contributing to Derry’s youthful
character. In addition, Derry has the highest number of US investors in Northern Ireland, with
companies such as Dupont, Seagate, Stream International and Raytheon among the city’s employers.
The city also has noteworthy retail, sporting, cultural, tourist and leisure opportunities. Its hinterland
includes the neighbouring districts of Strabane, Limavady and north Donegal.
Derry city has been one of the fastest growing settlements in Northern Ireland over the past three
decades. Between 1991 and 2000 the DCC area’s population grew by 9.5% compared to 5.6% for
Northern Ireland as a whole. The Derry City Council area has a relatively youthful population with
37% of the population being in the age range 0-24. This is very similar to Letterkenny where roughly
40% of the population are under the age of 258 - a factor explained by a larger than average
proportion of school-going age, many of whom leave for work or college and do not return.
However, Donegal does have a higher than average proportion of residents over 50 years old.
The Derry City Council area has a population of 107,300 of which over 90,663 live within the urban
area9. Derry Chamber of Commerce estimate that the population of the area will rise to
approximately 120,000 by 2013.
4 Cross-border statistics in the North-West
An analysis of Census data (2001 for Northern Ireland and 2006 for Southern Ireland) within 30km
on each side of the border, centred on the city of Derry and encompassing Letterkenny, Strabane
and Lifford was conducted. This catchment area includes a population of almost 1 million (938,
617)10. The maps which follow clearly delineate this catchment area. It is important to consider that
8
CSO Census 2006 where 14,154 people are age 0-24 in the areas of Letterkenny, Letterkenny Legal Area and
Letterkenny Environs of a total population of 35,172
9
Statistics press notice; Midyear population estimates Northern Ireland (2006). NI Statistics and Research
Agency NISRA 2009.
10
The border population figure is based on a 30km buffer either side of the border. This buffer was populated
using two sources - the residential weighted centroids of RoI Census EDs and residential weighted centroids of
NI Output Areas. For the south the population figure was based on the 2006 Census. For the North as the last
census was in 2001 the population was a best-fit estimate. The percentage of the District population that each
OA represented in the 2001 Census was used and then the 2006 District populations were then disaggregated
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even though the geographic areas are equivalent in size North and South of the border, (extending
approximately 30km each side), the population and the economic characteristics are not.
Population density is greater on the Northern side (576, 376 people) compared to the Southern side
(362, 241). Over twice as many Northern people within this catchment area report being in
employment than Southern people, i.e. 58,098 Northern employees compared to 25,670 Southern
employees. This equates to 10% of Northern Ireland residents and 7.1% of Southern residents
within the zone.
The 2006 Irish census (Table 1) showed that there was significant inward migration from the UK,
particularly in Donegal where the proportion of UK born residents per constituency was 17.07% for
Donegal North-East and 14.17% for Donegal South West. Donegal’s demographic character and
proximity to a significant urban centre such as Derry make it an inevitable commuter catchment
area. Unsurprisingly, there is a high rate of Donegal workers who commute across the border for
work.
Donegal accounts for 59% of all ‘northbound’ cross-border commuting and in some
geographic areas over 10% of the local population were commuting to Derry11.
Table 1 below gives the list of counties in the Republic of Ireland with the highest incidence of
residents working in Northern Ireland. Clearly, the most significant feature is the extent to which
Donegal is ahead of the other counties and, in particular, the extent to which the commuting is
pointed to Derry.
Resident
County in
Republic
Donegal
Residents commuting to Northern Ireland
Total
Antrim
Armagh
Derry
Down
Fermanagh
Tyrone
3,156
76
18
2,463
8
130
461
41
293
5
74
122
129
Monaghan 664
down to OA level using the same proportions. Of course this is open to error – it is a best-fit scenario and all
that can be done without an official release of data at the small area level for 2006.
11
Ó Séaghdha, Darach. April 2008. Does cross-border commuting present a case for North South cooperation
on housing policy in the Island of Ireland. Thesis Submitted MA in Public Management, IPA
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Louth
586
56
78
3
434
3
12
Cavan
372
9
7
0
10
338
8
Dublin
163
75
29
12
30
7
10
Leitrim
98
2
3
3
0
84
6
Meath
31
8
4
1
14
2
2
Kildare
28
9
1
4
4
7
3
Cork
23
10
0
9
2
2
0
Sligo
20
3
1
2
0
12
2
Table 1: Residents of Republic of Ireland commuting to work in Northern Ireland, CSO 2006
Table 2 provides a further breakdown of those people residing in Donegal who commute to
Northern Ireland for work. For example, in the town of Kilderry, 21% of residents commuted to
Derry.
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Rank
Donegal Geographic Area
EURES Cross Border Partnership
Local Population
Pop. Commuting %
to Derry
1
085 Kilderry
1,744
367
21.04%
2
086 Killea
1,547
224
14.48%
3
093 Three Trees
646
80
12.38%
4
070 Burt
1,264
149
11.79%
5
068 Birdstown
1,026
119
11.60%
6
074 Castleforward
909
105
11.55%
7
095 Whitecastle
883
79
8.95%
8
078 Fahan
1,476
116
7.86%
9
084 Inch Island
438
33
7.53%
10
091 Redcastle
791
59
7.46%
Table 2: Residents of County Donegal commuting to work in Northern Ireland, CSO 2006
The 2001 Northern Ireland Census also provides details of North Ireland residents travelling across
the border to work in the Republic of Ireland. Note it does not provide details of the specific places
where people travel to work within the Republic of Ireland but it clearly shows the increased
propensity for cross-border working in the border regions.
District
In Employment
Work in ROI
% Work in ROI
Newry and Mourne
31,873
1,487
4.67%
Fermanagh
22,782
921
4.04%
Derry
36,225
721
1.99%
Omagh
18,607
405
2.18%
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Strabane
13,339
401
3.01%
Armagh
22,302
384
1.72%
Antrim
22,437
301
1.34%
Belfast
100,826
301
0.30%
Lisburn
47,400
293
0.62%
Dungannon
18,463
176
0.95%
Craigavon
32,994
161
0.49%
North Down
34,629
152
0.44%
Down
26,881
149
0.55%
Limavady
12,944
109
0.84%
Coleraine
23,156
106
0.46%
Banbridge
18,757
89
0.47%
Newtownabbey
36,291
85
0.23%
Ards
33,268
77
0.23%
Magherafelt
16,478
64
0.39%
Cookstown
12,385
50
0.40%
Castlereagh
30,242
46
0.15%
Carrickfergus
17,175
35
0.20%
Ballymena
26,500
33
0.12%
Moyle
5,949
26
0.44%
Larne
13,465
17
0.13%
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Ballymoney
11,274
16
0.14%
Northern Ireland
686,644
6,605
0.96%
Table 3: Northern Irish Residents Working in Republic of Ireland, NISRA 2001
The Census in the Republic of Ireland takes place every 5 years whereas the Census in Northern
Ireland takes place every 10 years. The two Censuses were due to coincide on 29 April 2001,
however the Irish Census was postponed for 1 year until 2002 due to the outbreak of foot and
mouth disease that had occurred at that time. There is agreement among Registrars General of
England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland to conduct simultaneous Censuses in the year 2011
with comparable UK outputs. This will also tie in with the planned 2011 Census in the Republic of
Ireland and provide a unique opportunity for comparison of north south data12.
5 Survey of Organisations in the North-West
5.1 Survey sample
This study contacted 64 organisations (39 North and 25 South) within the catchment area who
between them employed 12,006 people (7, 991 North and 4,015 South) and asked them to identify
any employees who resided on the other side of the border. This represented almost 30% of all
employees within the catchment area, 13.75% North and 15.64% South.
The organisations included in the survey were selected at random from the best available data
sources.
These included listings held in-house by the Derry Chamber of Commerce and the
Letterkenny Chamber of Commerce, appropriate Enterprise Agencies and Enterprise Boards, and
online databases such as the InvestNI Business Information database, www.nibusinessinfo.co.uk, the
Industrial Development Authority, www.ida.ie, and the Letterkenny Online Information
Centre,www.letterkennyonline.com.
12
North West Data Capture Project. 2008. North West Region Cross Border Group.
www.nwrcbg.org on 8 June 2010.
16
Accessed at
Measuring Mobility in a Changing Island
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Organisations were included from different sectors13 including health (hospitals), retail (shops),
tourism (tourism related industries), public (government departments, local councils), construction
(construction related, building service industries), manufacturing, IT (Information technology),
education (schools, universities, colleges), and services (Hotels).
Organisations included were categorised according to the size of their organisation using the EU
definitions of micro organisation employing less than 10 employees, small organisation employing
between 10 and 50 employees, medium organisation employing between 50 and 250 employees
and large employers with over 250 employees.
Initial contact with organisations was made through the HR department for larger organisations and
though the person responsible for salaries in organisations which did not have a defined HR
department. In general, employees are not categorised within organisations as cross-border
commuters and organisations HR systems are not automatically programmed to produce the results
of queries on cross-border employees. Most organisations had to manually query employee records
to answer this survey. In addition, several Freedom of Information (FoI) requests were logged to
gain access to information for larger public sector organisations.
5.2 The Results
5.2.1 Numbers of cross-border employees, North and South
Figure 2 shows that 682 cross-border workers were identified in Northern Ireland out of a possible
7,991 employees identified in Northern organisations and 183 cross-border workers were identified
in the Republic of Ireland out of a possible 4,015 employees identified in those Southern
organisations.
13
The survey sample as used in the results was driven primarily by the willingness of participants to take part.
An attempt to stratify the results was made by making sure there was at least one entry across each of the
sectors and for each of the company sizes in both jurisdictions but this was not always possible within the
sample geographical area.
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Findings show the stronger flow of commuters from South to North with almost twice as many
Southern residents employed in Northern Ireland (8.53%) compared to Northern residents
employed in Southern Ireland (4.56%).
This equates to approximately 5,500 frontier workers in the North West region (using the 6.54%
average14 of 8.53% and 4.56% cross-border commuters against the total catchment area workforce
i.e. 83,768 employees).
14
Note that the average of these two figures is used against the total population instead of using actual
figures. This is because we have two set of information - one which is based on address of company on one
side of the border and one based on the address of the worker and because of the nature of the project – to
estimate a total number of people moving across the border - the author felt it was best to take an average.
Using the actual figures would ignore factors such as:
-
Is the person resident within the zone employed on the other side of the border within the 30km zone?
-
Is the employee working at an organisation within the zone resident on the other side of the border within
the 30km zone? Anecdotal evidence suggests that during the current recession people are travelling
further to work
-
It makes no assumption about where on the other side of the border they live or where the people live
that live on the same side of the border – only that the company itself is within the 30km zone.
-
The figures for working population are residency based – that is the people live within the 30km zone and
work on the other side of the border. It makes no assumption again about where on the other side of the
border they work only that they work on the other side of the border.
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Figure 2: Numbers of cross-border employees identified in North and South survey sample
5.2.2 Scale of organisations with cross-border employees, North and South
Figure 3 looks in more depth at the scale and type of employers with cross-border workers. Northern
Ireland residents who travel across the border to work in the Republic of Ireland tend to be
employed in micro organisations. Such Southern organisations tend to have almost a third (28%) of
their employees coming from Northern Ireland. In contrast, Republic of Ireland residents who travel
to Northern Ireland to work are employed in the range of different sized organisations with a
tendency towards larger organisations (>250 employees).
As Figure 4: Numbers of cross-border employees by size of organisation shows, not unexpectedly,
the bigger the organisation, the bigger the absolute number of cross-border employees.
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Figure 3: Percentages of cross-border employees by size of organisation
Figure 4: Numbers of cross-border employees by size of organisation
Total
Total
Total Number of
Number of
Number of Cross-Border
Organisations Employees Employees
14
61
12
Micro
27
674
56
Small
13
1693
89
Medium
9
9578
704
Large
63
12006
861
Total
Figure 5: Numbers of cross-border employees by size of organisation
5.2.3 Organisation sector and cross-border employees, North and South
The nature of organisations which employ cross-border commuters is also different on both sides of
the border. Republic of Ireland residents commuting to Northern Ireland tend to work for larger
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organisations particularly in the health, education and manufacturing sectors. Northern Ireland
residents commuting south tend to work for smaller, IT or public sector organisations.
Figure 6: Percentage of cross-border employees by organisation sector
A broader profile of cross-border workers were found within organisations in Northern Ireland. In
contrast, cross-border workers in the Republic of Ireland were concentrated in manufacturing, IT,
services, public service. For instance, no cross-border employees in Republic of Ireland could be
identified in construction, retail or education sector.
Figure 7: Numbers of cross-border employees by organisation sector
Note, the statistics presented are minimum figures, as some employers were unable to provide this
information despite extensive efforts.
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5.2.4 Extrapolate to entire border region
From the 2001 Northern Ireland Census there are 209,969 employed people within 30km of the
border on the northern side and from the 2006 Census in the Republic of Ireland there are 149,071
employed people within 30km of the border on the southern side. Using the same average as
before 6.54% applied to the total working border population gives 23,481 frontier workers.
Previous reports15 have quoted 18,000 commuters (9,000 going each way). The nature of the northwest border region could explain the increase and further studies along the border with different
characteristics such as Newry/Dundalk where greater traffic flows are in the other direction could
help create an even more accurate picture.
Also, considering that the needs of the families of these frontier workers have wider implications
beyond HR and employment issues then this sub-population which have different needs and issues
than the general population. Currently, there is no centralised point addressing these needs within
public administration on either side of the border. A further study should be undertaken to explore
the possible use of existing datasets within Government Departments and Agencies to target public
administration facilitation for cross-border commuters.
15
PwC / Indecon Economic Consultants. 2001. Study of Obstacles to cross-border mobility. North South
Ministreial Council, Armagh
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6 Maps
These findings are easier to visualise once presented as maps. A series of self-explanatory maps has
been produced which show the location of organisations surveyed and their accompanying scale of
cross-border employees within the defined catchment area. Figure 8 shows the location of the 64
organisations which cluster on the main urban areas.
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Figure 8: Location of 64 surveyed organisations within the catchment area
Figure 9 shows the scale of commuting within the catchment area, 8.53% of cross-border employees
travelling South to North and 4.56% travelling North to South.
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Figure 9: The scale and direction of cross-border employees within the North West
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Figure 10 shows the location of large-sized organisations (>250 employees) displaying their scale and
the proportion of cross-border employees.
Figure 10: The location of large-sized organisations (>250 employees) surveyed
Figure 11 shows the location of medium-sized organisations (51-250 employees) displaying their
scale and the proportion of cross-border employees.
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Figure 11: The location of medium- sized organisations (51 to 250 employees) surveyed
Figure 12 shows the location of small-sized organisations (10-50 employees) displaying their scale
and the proportion of cross-border employees.
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Figure 12: The location of small-sized organisations (10 to 50 employees) surveyed
Figure 13 shows the location of micro-sized organisations (<10 employees) displaying their scale and
the proportion of cross-border employees.
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Figure 13: The location of micro-sized organisations (<10 employees) surveyed
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7 Supplementary Statistics
Whenever possible, North-South statistics were gathered from government departments and
agencies and other organisations to provide insights into cross-border commuting patterns within
the North West region.
7.1 North South Traffic Flows
As part of the Republic of Ireland Census 2006 processing programme the place of work details of all
employed persons who undertook a journey to work were geo-coded. This dataset is known as the
2006 Census Place of Work - Census of Anonymised Records (POWCAR). Figure 14 shows the 2007
average daily traffic on the main border crossings. Those crossings in the North-West, A2 Buncranna
to Derry and A38 Lifford bridge to Strabane, were the busiest cross-border routes during the average
working week with 18,290 and 19,290 crossing respectively. This represents higher volumes of
traffic than the Dundalk/Newry crossing the mid-way point of the Dublin Belfast economic corridor.
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Figure 14: Annual Average Daily Traffic (5 day week) flows at Border Traffic Census collection
points, 2007 (total flows in/out)
Further statistics on border crossings were provided by the Lough Foyle ferry company which
operates from the Greencastle to Magilligan showing on average 50 cars using the cross-border ferry
on a weekday and 100 cars at the weekend.
Figure 15: Average number of daily passengers and cars on cross-border ferry (1 Jan - 21 Mar 2010)
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7.2 Cross-border births
Statistics on births within Northern Ireland hospitals to women resident in the Republic of Ireland
provide a good insight into cross-border healthcare use (provided by the Northern Ireland Statistics
and Research Agency NISRA). In 2008 there were 593 births in Northern Ireland hospitals to
mothers resident in the Republic of Ireland, this statistic has increased from 204 in 2000.
Unsurprisingly, the majority of these births are recorded in those health boards adjoining the border,
the Southern and Western Health Boards. The statistics could not be broken down further into
whether these mothers have the right to access healthcare in the north through the fact that they
work in the north or whether they paid to access these service privately.
There is no evidence of mothers choosing to give birth in a southern hospital when they have access
to NHS services through their residence no matter where they work.
Figure 16: Births in Northern Ireland by residents of the Republic of Ireland, by NI Health Board
7.3 Cross-border Education
InterTradeIreland, the cross-border trade and business body, provide North-South education
statistics on their website (www.intertradeireland.com). Figure 17 shows the wide disparity in NorthSouth commuting for education between 2000 and 2007, with approximately four times more
Republic of Ireland students travelling North for education compared to the flow in the opposite
direction. While the statistics are relatively stable with a small level of growth in both directions
between 2000 and 2006, the picture changed in 2006-2007 with the numbers of students travelling
South to North dropping dramatically from 4,655 to 3,865.
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Figure 17: Number of students travelling across the border for education, 2000 - 2007
7.4 Cross-border shopping
In 2008 the Central Statistics Office (CSO) Quarterly National Household Survey (QNHS) included for
the first time a question on cross-border commuting, in response to the large volumes of people
who appeared to be shopping across the border. The QNHS estimated that the total Irish household
expenditure on shopping in Northern Ireland in the year since April-June 2008 was €435 million.
Cross-border shopping is not a new phenomenon16 and while it has increased it still accounts for less
than 1.4% of total retail expenditure. However, there is likely to be a disproportionate effect in
border counties where the highest total expenditure (€181m) was recorded.
7.5 Currrency
The economies of the border region are particularly susceptible to fluctuations in currency between
the Euro in the Republic of Ireland and Sterling in Northern Ireland. Figure 18 shows the
convergence in values of the Euro and Sterling in recent times which has contributed to the increase
in cross-border shopping.
16
Fitzgerald J, Quinn JP, Whelan B and Williams J (1988) An Analysis of Cross Border Shopping. ESRI, Dublin.
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Figure 18: Euro/ Sterling exchange rates sourced from the European Central Bank
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8 Conclusions
This quick, time-limited exploratory study identifying where cross-border commuters in the North
West are employed, and in what volume is the first study that documents patterns of cross-border
commuting linked directly to specific organisations.
A sample of 64 organisations located within 30km on each side of the border, who between them
account for almost 30% of employees within the North-West region, was examined. It is estimated
that within the North-West there exists 5,500 cross-border commuters with a stronger flow of
commuters from South to North. There are almost twice as many Republic of Ireland residents
employed in Northern Ireland (8.53% South to North) compared to Northern residents employed in
the Republic of Ireland (4.56% North to South). Extrapolating our data across the entire border
region, we would estimate a total 23,481 cross-border commuters exist.
Discussions with government departments and agencies in a quest to gather statistics suggest that
cross-border mobility is still not catered for within the psyche of the public sector in either
jurisdiction. The current public sector reforms do not provide for cross-border commuters. The
system does not appear to be changing; instead individuals are becoming better informed about the
two systems to cater for their own needs. It is prudent to suggest, given the experience of the
Centre for Cross Border Studies, that these cross-border commuters and their extended families may
have different cross-border needs than the general population. Currently, there is no centralised
point addressing these needs within public administration on either side of the border. A further
study should be undertaken to explore the possible use of existing datasets within Government
Departments and Agencies to target public administration facilitation for cross-border commuters.
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