Pioneering €3m E-Town project to encourage working from home

A PIONEERING E-Town project, which will encourage people to work from home, is expected to create jobs in Tarbert, Co Kerry.

The €3 million Shannon Development project was launched in the Shannon Estuary town by RTÉ sports commentator Mícheál O’Muircheartaigh.

Tarbert E-Town is an architecturally-designed scheme of eight houses with work units either attached, or separate from, the living quarters. All units are connected to broadband.

The idea is to facilitate people who have long commutes to work, but who wish to set up a business and could work from home.

Said to be the first of its kind in Ireland, the concept would suit micro businesses in the traded services sector, or businesses such as graphic design, consultancy, web design, publishing and professional services.

It is also ideal for local people who have already set up a business from home but find their home is no longer suitable for their growing business needs, according to Shannon Development.

Speaking about the significance of the project, Shannon Development chief executive Dr Vincent Cunnane said it had the potential to create jobs and vibrant business clusters and could generate economic activity in Tarbert.

“This innovative project has been planned to meet the needs of community by creating new clusters of businesses offering employment and rejuvenating community life,” he said.

“It meets the needs of entrepreneurs by providing a stress-free work and living environment to help them achieve a perfect life/work balance. It has been designed to create an environment where enterprises in the traded services sector can flourish, not just at local or national level but on a global scale.”

Shannon Development chairman John Brassil said they were setting out to create infrastructure ahead of demand.

“We have developed a new model for enhancing enterprise development in the smaller communities in the Shannon Region,” he said.

Mícheál O Muircheartaigh said, “Tarbert E-Town will appeal to a range of entrepreneurs as it offers not only first class accommodation, but creates the opportunity for people to enjoy a better quality of family life.”