Ikea to expand in Ireland opening plan-and-order points in Cork, Portlaoise and Drogheda

Company is understood to be considering a second full store in the Republic of Ireland

The location of the outlet in Cork has yet to be confirmed but is likely to be on the city's southside.

Furniture giant IKEA said it plans to expand its operations in Ireland opening new plan and order points in Cork, Portlaoise and Drogheda starting this spring.

The new outlets will not be full IKEA stores but will complement the Swedish home furnishing firm's main store in Ballymun in Dublin. The three new outlets are expected to be opened by Easter starting with the location in Drogheda.

The new locations will allow customers to design kitchen and bedroom storage projects in consultation with staff. 

IKEA also plans to open a new distribution centre to allow quicker fulfilment of products ordered online by customers in Ireland. Currently, customers in Ireland who make online purchases will have their products delivered from centres in the UK if they are not available in Ballymun. 

Announcing sales figures for 2022 today and plans for new plan-and-order locations, IKEA did not confirm proposals for any new full outlets but it remains an ambition of the company to open a second large location in the Republic of Ireland.

In 2016 the company held a number of meetings with officials in Cork County Council on possible locations of a store on the outskirts of Cork. Officials in the City Council also made pitches of possible city locations including the former CMP dairies site on the Kinsale Road. 

IKEA Ireland announced the expansion plans as it reported sales growth of 14% to €216.7m for the year ended August 31. IKEA said online sales have doubled compared to before the pandemic. 

The figures make the Ballymun store the busiest by volume in IKEA's entire global network. No other outlet sells more Home Decoration items or cooking and eating accessories.