County could create 7500 jobs by 2022

The number of jobs in Meath could increase by about 7,500 over the next eight years, according to an economic expert commissioned to produce a report on the county’s employment prospects.
Dr Pat McCloughan of PMCA Economic Consulting, a leading consultant economist with 20 years professional experience in Ireland, the UK and internationally, made a presentation of his draft report - 'Economic Development Strategy for Co Meath’ - to county councillors at a meeting this week.
During a debate, it was stated that 54 per cent of workers living in the county left it every day to work elsewhere, mainly in Dublin.
The economist described Meath as “a fundamentally prosperous county with significant economic potential but which was not fulfilling its potential or exploiting opportunities”.
Dr McClaughan said that the total employment in Meath in 2011 (excluding outbound commuters) was 38,822 but that this could be increased to 46,371 by 2022. 
He picked out the sectors where he thought there would be most improvement in employment prospects. The wholesale, retail trade, transportation and storage, accommodation and food service activities, which employed 11,180 people in 2011, could increase by 28 per cent - going up to 13,354, he said.
This was closely followed by education, human health and social work activities (21 per cent increase projected). The manufacturing, mining and quarrying, electricity, gas, water supply and waste management sector, which employed 5,514 in 2011, could go up to 6,586 by 2022, according to the report.
A strong performance could also be put in by the information and communication, financial, real estate, professional, administration and support service sectors could also feature strongly in a recovery of employment - a projected increase of 13.3 per cent.
Construction, which has taken a hammering since the end of the building boom, is near the bottom of the list as a source of potential over the next few years.
There were 1,719 people engaged in that industry locally in 2011 - and that number is projected to increase to only 2,084 by 2022.