New Bespoke Economic Intelligence Initiative Positions DLR Chamber at the Centre of Strategic Economic Leadership and Evidence-Led Growth
On the 12th of May at Mercedes-Benz South Dublin, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Chamber of Commerce launched its new Bespoke Locale Report — 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.
Commissioned by the DLR Chamber and developed in partnership with Sunstone, the report delivers one of the most comprehensive integrated snapshots of a local economy undertaken at Chamber level in Ireland to date. Combining business registration data, demographic analysis, workforce trends and live enterprise visibility mapping, the report provides an unprecedented view of economic activity across Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown.
The findings reveal a highly dynamic and internationally connected local economy, comprising almost 18,000 registered entities, more than 12,000 visibly trading businesses and a population exceeding 233,000 people.
Among the report’s key findings:
-
DLR’s retrofit and sustainability economy represents a projected market opportunity of approximately €2.5 billion
-
61% of adults in the county hold a third-level qualification, positioning Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown among the most highly skilled local economies in Ireland
- 63.5% of workers are employed in managerial, professional or associate-professional roles
-
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
The report also highlights several major strategic opportunity areas already influencing the county’s future direction, including the continued growth of the evening and night-time economy, expansion opportunities within retrofit and sustainability sectors, affordable housing stock, childcare infrastructure, town-centre activation initiatives, digital enterprise growth and emerging cross-border economic collaboration opportunities.
In addition, the report explores the growing impact of hybrid working, changing consumer behaviour, sustainability transition and evolving town-centre dynamics – identifying significant opportunities for deeper collaboration between business, local government and regional stakeholders.
Speaking following the launch, Minister Jack Chambers said:
“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. Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown continues to play an important role in Ireland’s economic future, and this report provides valuable insight into both the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead for the region.”
Colette O’Sullivan CEO DLR Chamber of Commerce said:
“For too long, important information about our local economy existed in fragmented silos, limiting strategic understanding of business activity, demographic trends and economic behaviour. This report changes that. For the first time, thanks to Sunstone, the Chamber now has an integrated overview of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown’s economic ecosystem – helping us better understand growth patterns, opportunity areas and future investment needs. 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.”
Frank Curran Chief Executive of DLR County Council said:
“Strong collaboration between local government, business organisations and community stakeholders 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.”
Aisling Ní Mhuirí Co-Founder of Sunstone said:
“At Sunstone, we believe the economy cannot be properly supported if it cannot be properly seen. Most business data is still based on broad classifications that do not fully reflect what companies actually do today. Businesses evolve, but the data often does not catch up. This report shows what becomes possible when you connect business registration data, CSO demographic insight and Sunstone’s Market Activity Profiling System (MAPs), our live trading activity layer, into one practical view of the local economy. For Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, it means seeing the county business by business, place by place and need by need.
The value of this work is that it turns data into something useful for decision-making, helping the Chamber, the Council, policymakers and local businesses identify gaps, target supports and unlock opportunities across DLR.”
The DLR Chamber says the report will now serve as a strategic platform for stronger economic advocacy and policy engagement, enhanced business support and membership growth, increased investment attraction and stakeholder collaboration, and future economic activation initiatives across Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown.
According to the Chamber, the initiative marks the beginning of a broader long-term strategy focused on strengthening DLR’s competitiveness, sustainability, innovation capacity and economic resilience in an increasingly fast-changing economic environment.
Media Contact
Tel: 01 284 5066 / 086 827 5582
About Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Chamber
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Chamber of Commerce is the representative voice for business across the county, supporting enterprise, innovation, advocacy, collaboration and sustainable economic development across the region.