Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown Bespoke Locale Report Launch

Providing a new lens on the local economy, the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown Bespoke Locale Report was launched during Dublin Climate Action Week. Commissioned by the DLR Chamber and developed in partnership with Sunstone, this report is a landmark strategic economic intelligence initiative designed to transform how the county understands, supports and plans for business growth, investment, sustainability and long-term economic resilience. The report combines business registration data, demographic analysis, workforce trends and live enterprise visibility mapping to provide an unprecedented view of economic activity across Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown. 

Speaking following the launch, Cllr. Jim Gildea, Cathaoirleach of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council said: 

“The value of this report is that it turns data into something useful for decision-making, helping the Council, the Chamber, policymakers, and local businesses identify gaps, target supports and unlock opportunities across the county. I would like to commend the DLR Chamber for their foresight in commissioning this work, and Sunstone for the expertise and analysis that has brought it to fruition.”

The report’s key findings include:

• DLR’s retrofit and sustainability economy represents a projected market opportunity of approximately €2.5 billion,
• More than 19,500 residents now work mainly from home, the second-largest category in the county’s work-location data, behind only car commuting, reinforcing DLR’s strength as a location for digital enterprise, innovation, flexible working, and talent attraction,
• CSO Census 2022 data puts 62,529 of DLR’s private homes in the pre-2000 build cohort that the National Retrofit Plan points to for BER B2 upgrades, which is 73% of the county’s private housing stock’,
• 427 visible sustainability business were identified across the county falling into four categories – 207 in retrofit and energy delivery, 156 in circular repair, reuse and recycling, 36 in ESG and sustainability advisory and 28 in coastal and blue economy stewardship.

Frank Curran, Chief Executive of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council added:

“Strong collaboration is essential to ensuring that Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown continues to thrive economically, socially and culturally. This report provides valuable insight into the changing nature of our local economy and highlights important opportunities for future collaboration, investment and strategic planning across the county.”

Minister Jack Chambers stated:

“Strong regional economies are critical to Ireland’s long-term competitiveness and resilience. Initiatives such as this demonstrate the value of evidence-led collaboration between business, local government and community stakeholders in shaping sustainable economic growth.”

Colette O’Sullivan CEO DLR Chamber of Commerce noted:

“The Chamber now has an integrated overview of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown’s economic ecosystem. This is not simply about data. It is about economic leadership, strategic planning and strengthening the DLR Chamber’s ability to advocate effectively for businesses and communities across DLR with continuous up to date data.”

Please view the full report.