The area around Dublin where people live and travel to work from expands as city property prices remain high.
With Dublin house prices continuing to rise, more people are purchasing homes further afield in an ever extending commuter belt.
Many of the towns and villages of County Carlow are within a 50 mile radius of Dublin, making it a firm favourite for commuters to the capital. Thousands of new houses have been built throughout the county.
Ballon was once a quiet rural community but over the last couple of years, its population has more than trebled.
Julie Clerkin is one of the new residents of Ballon living in what she describes as a commuter estate. The value for money and larger properties on offer have attracted people to move from Dublin. As another resident, Rita Grange, says
We got a lot more house for our money.
Tullow is another Carlow town experiencing the emergence of many new housing developments. Auctioneer Charlie McDermott says that most of the buyers in Tullow come from the Dublin catchment area. The new residents are working in Dublin and many are first time buyers. Priced out of the capital, these buyers are finding better value for money and an improved lifestyle outside of Dublin.
Lorraine Maher and her family moved from Dublin to Tullow. Her husband works in Dublin and the daily commute and long working day are beginning to take their toll. However, they were faced with no option but to leave the capital.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 3 August 2005. The reporter is Helen McInerney.
