Asked whether there is any recourse available to the people of Castletownbere to reverse the trend of a draining youthful population and he offers a number of ways in which to tackle the problem. "Well first we need to change the perception that exists around the area. In some peoples minds Castletownbere is the back of beyond. But we need to get the message across that there is a great quality of life to be had here. People always want to holiday here, but the question they could be asking themselves is why not live here? There's a great broadband service here. So, for example, why not run your business from here out of your own home. And while the city continues to expand and, in some cases, become over-developed, the West Cork coastline remains a very desirable place to live.

"If say 10 families were to move here it might not seem like much, but it would have a huge impact here. Tourism in Cork is, I believe, an underdeveloped industry, but there are some positive steps been taken to help promote West Cork. The Marine Leisure Infrastructure Strategy for example is helping to promote the coastline here as a premier product in this country. And the Castletownbere Development Association are making every effort to show people everything the area has to offer. The opportunities are there, we just need to make people aware of them."