Midland Region, Ireland

{{short description|NUTS 3 region in Ireland}} [[File:Ireland location map Midlands.svg|thumb|alt=|The Midland region of Ireland with each constituent county council highlighted]] The '''Midland Region''' (coded IE063)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cso.ie/en/methods/revnuts23/|title=Revision to the Irish NUTS2 and NUTS3 regions|publisher=cso.ie}}</ref> is a NUTS Level III statistical region of Ireland. It consists of the territory of the counties of Laois, Offaly, Westmeath and Longford. The Midland Region spans 6,652 km2, 9.5% of the total area of the state and, according to the 2022 census, had a population of 317,999.<ref name="cso2022" />

Before 2014, the region was governed by the Midland Regional Authority. The Authority was abolished in 2014.<ref name=si228>{{Cite Irish legislation|year=2014|type=si|number=228|name=Local Government Act 1991 (Regional Authorities) (Amendment) Order 2014|date=29 May 2014|access-date=19 January 2022}}</ref> Midland now exists as a strategic planning area within the Eastern and Midland Region.<ref>{{Cite Irish legislation|year=2014|type=si|number=573|name=Local Government Act 1991 (Regional Assemblies) (Establishment) Order 2014|date=16 December 2014|access-date=29 January 2022}}</ref> The NUTS regions are used for statistical reporting to Eurostat, while the Regional Assemblies are responsible for planning at a local government level.

The Midland Region is also a tourist destination due to its natural environment which includes lakes, waterways and canals, as well as a history, heritage and culture which dates from early Christian times.<ref name="IrishRegionOffice">{{Cite web|url=http://www.iro.ie/midlands_region.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110110192852/http://www.iro.ie/midlands_region.html|url-status=dead|title=Regions of Ireland: The Midlands|archivedate=January 10, 2011|website=Irish Regions Office}}</ref>

==Midland Regional Authority== The Midland Region was administered by the Midland Regional Authority, which consisted of 24 elected representatives including the region's representative on the EU Committee of the Regions.<ref>{{Cite Irish legislation|year=1993|type=si|number=394|name=Local Government Act 1991 (Regional Authorities) (Establishment) Order 1993|date=20 December 1993|access-date=25 February 2022}}</ref> These representatives met once a month and were nominated from the four local government councils of the region:<ref name="IrishRegionOffice"/> * Laois County Council * Longford County Council * Offaly County Council * Westmeath County Council

The Regional Authorities were dissolved in 2014 and were replaced by Regional Assemblies.<ref name=si228 />

==Demography== According to the 2022 census, the region had a population of 317,999, which constitutes 6.17% of the national population. Its population density was 47.8 persons per km2.<ref name="cso2022">{{cite web|title=Census 2022 - F1004A - Population|work=Central Statistics Office Census 2022 Reports |publisher=Central Statistics Office Ireland |date=August 2023 |url=https://data.cso.ie/table/F1004A |access-date=16 September 2023 }}</ref>

The region has a growing dependency ratio which is stated as having implications on health care, the types of housing needed as well as care for the elderly.<ref name="IrishRegionOffice"/>

==Economy== The most significant industry in the Midland Region is the peat industry, as well as wood processing. Its wood processing industry now accounts for over one-third of the total processed timber produced in Ireland. Other strong industries include medicine, healthcare, engineering and chemical. It also has some very successful food and drink producers.<ref name="IrishRegionOffice"/>

According to Eurostat figures for 2012, the region has GDP of €5.765 bn and a GDP per capita of €20,100 the lowest in the Republic.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://appsso.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/nui/submitViewTableAction.do |title=Eurostat - Data Explorer |accessdate=2014-10-06 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006122431/http://appsso.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/nui/submitViewTableAction.do |archivedate=2014-10-06 }}</ref>

The workforce of the region in 2015 was 114,000, which equated to an 87.6% employment rate.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.regionalskills.ie/Regions/midlands/Action-Plan-for-Jobs-Midland-Region-2015-2017.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2017-05-30 |archive-date=2017-10-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171028213040/http://regionalskills.ie/Regions/midlands/Action-Plan-for-Jobs-Midland-Region-2015-2017.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In 2017 the largest employment sectors in the Midland Region were:<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ibec.ie/IBEC/Press/PressPublicationsdoclib3.nsf/vPages/Newsroom~ibec-highlights-need-to-address-infrastructure-imbalance-15-02-2017/$file/Local+Economic+Indicators+2017.pdf|title=Ibec -Server error|website=www.ibec.ie|access-date=2020-10-23|archive-date=2021-01-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210116220014/https://www.ibec.ie/IBEC/Press/PressPublicationsdoclib3.nsf/vPages/Newsroom~ibec-highlights-need-to-address-infrastructure-imbalance-15-02-2017/$file/Local+Economic+Indicators+2017.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>

# Wholesale & retail trade 16% # Manufacturing industries 12% # Health & social work 11% # Education 9% # Public administration & defence 8% # Agriculture 8%

==Major settlements== A list of the ten largest settlements in the Midland Region. County capitals are included and are shown in '''bold'''.

{|class="wikitable" |+ Towns |- !Rank !Town !County

!Population (2022 census)<ref name="cso2022"/> |- | align=left | 1 | '''Portlaoise''' | Laois | align=right | 23,494 |- | align=left | 2 | Athlone | Westmeath | align=right | 22,869 |- | align=left | 3 | '''Mullingar''' | Westmeath | align=right | 22,667 |- | align=left | 4 | '''Tullamore''' | Offaly | align=right | 15,598 |- | align=left | 5 | '''Longford''' | Longford | align=right | 10,952 |- | align=left | 6 | Portarlington | Laois/Offaly | align=right | 9,288 |- | align=left | 7 | Edenderry | Offaly | align=right | 7,888 |- | align=left | 8 | Mountmellick | Laois | align=right | 4,905 |- | align=left | 9 | Birr | Offaly | align=right | 4,726 |- | align=left | 10 | Clara | Offaly | align=right | 3,403 |}

==References== {{reflist}}

Category:NUTS statistical regions of the Republic of Ireland