Regions to net 490 jobs in investment boost

A TOTAL of 490 new jobs were announced yesterday in Belfast, Cork and the mid-west, while 27 job losses were reported in Fermoy, Co Cork.

Three IDA-supported investments are to create 180 new jobs in the Mid-West region - 100 in Ennis, Co Clare, and 80 in Limerick City.

Global IT firm HCL Technologies, which employs more than 13,000 people worldwide, will invest £2.5m (€3.7m) in the expansion of its existing and highly successful ‘Apollo’ call centre in Belfast, creating 250 new jobs.

Sixty jobs have been created by the SWS Group at its purpose built Business Process Outsourcing Centre in the West Cork Business and Technology Park at Clonakilty, Co Cork.

In Fermoy, 27 jobs have been lost following the decision to cease production at the Integrated Timber Engineering Company (ITEC), formerly Barry’s timber yard.

The West Cork jobs are to be created as a result of the group successfully tendering for a number of substantial outsourcing contracts with Independent Newspapers (Ireland) Ltd and a number of other businesses. The type of jobs created will include finance and accountancy positions in addition to IT, administration and customer service type roles.

The mid-west jobs are across a range of activities such as R&D, new product design, sophisticated manufacturing, and customer, sales and technical support.

Organic Lens Manufacturing in Ennis, Co Clare, will create 100 jobs with a €6.5 million investment in its manufacturing facility, with the backing of IDA Ireland. There are also two separate investments for Limerick.

City Cook Incorporated is establishing its European Shared Services Centre, creating more than 50 high-quality jobs, and Power-One is expanding its design team and establishing its European customer and technical support centre with the creation of 29 high-quality jobs.