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3rd May 2024
02:06pm BST
Two Mayo towns have been ranked as the best places in Ireland to live in order to achieve a healthy work-life balance.
The list of five places in Ireland was compiled by energy price comparison site Switcher.ie.
Castlebar took the number one spot closely followed by Ballina.
In third was Longford Town, in fourth came Wexford Town, and in fifth place was Arklow in Co Wicklow.
Number one went to Castlebar. Why? Because house prices are a lot cheaper in the county town and there's also a great mix of local amenities, good connectivity for hybrid working, and plenty of greenery.
Switcher.ie compared work essentials such as broadband speed and mobile coverage as well as the distance from local schools, GP surgeries, and major supermarkets.
They also compared factors which are key to a person's well-being such as access to green spaces, cafes, and leisure facilities.
House prices, commute times, and crime rates were also factored in while compiling the list.
As well as the top five, Cavan, Ashbourne, Galway, and Mullingar also received a mention, while Westport in Co. Mayo has won numerous similar awards in the past.
The study comes after the Irish Government passed the Work-Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act last year, which provides new rights for employees to support a better balance of family life, work life, and caring responsibilities.
Eoin Clarke, Commercial Director at Switcher.ie, said: "Once the Code of Practice is in place to support the Work-Life Balance Act 2023, many employees will have the right to request remote and flexible working arrangements.
"This means that hard-working Irish residents, many with families or carer responsibilities, should benefit from a better quality of life and a financial boost.
"The good news is all the top towns in our study have lots to offer. Whether working remotely or commuting, there's a good choice of affordable, well-served towns to raise a family or simply enjoy life."
Limerick ranked worst city for work-life balance. Not all of their criteria would be top of my list,but I'd have to agree regarding lack of amenities,for example Corbally with a population of c. 8,000 people does not have a playground (my mother's bugbear)https://t.co/rlz0yG0lQX
— Emma Gilleece (@Gilleeece) February 2, 2024
The Golden Raspberry for all of Ireland goes to Limerick.
In Limerick, Switcher.ie found house prices were lower than others on their list. However, the city also had a higher crime rate, lower broadband speeds and less access to green spaces than other towns.
Limerick was ranked 50th making it the worst on the list, proceeded by Malahide, Drogheda, Laytown BMD, Cork, and Waterford.
