The owners of Ashford Castle resort have purchased a 14-unit housing estate in Ballinrobe for €3.3m to provide accommodation for 56 staff, addressing challenges in staff attraction and retention.
Despite a 4pc decrease in EBITDA to €7.39m last year, Ashford Castle reported a 16pc revenue increase from €27.1m to €31.45m due to a rise in US visitors.
General manager Niall Rochford noted that while earnings increased due to the absence of previous Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme payments, maintaining profit margins remains challenging due to rising food and labour costs.
To support staff logistics, Ashford Castle operates a daily bus service to the Ballinrobe estate, which is 12km away, and has recorded an increase in staff numbers, from 327 to 342, alongside higher staff costs totalling €10.7m.
