US health giant’s jobs move welcome boost for Castleisland

THE IDA, which has been strongly criticised in Kerry for not securing enough jobs for the county, yesterday came up with some good news.

Seventy jobs are to be created at Aetna Ireland, a global US health benefits company, in Castleisland.

Tánaiste and Enterprise, Trade and Employment Minister Mary Coughlan, who was in Castleisland, promised “a different dynamic” in job creation in her ministry and stressed the potential of the regions.

The IDA-supported jobs, which will add to the 100 already employed by Aetna in the town, will be provided over the next three years and will be in the worldwide claims processing and customer services areas.

Recruitment has already begun in the company which yesterday celebrated 20 years in Castleisland and is now its biggest employer.

The minister’s announcement was welcomed in Kerry where there has been a litany of complaints by business, senior council officials and local politicians that the county was being ignored by the IDA in favour of Cork and the east coast, in recent years.

Ms Coughlan promised to pay special attention to job creation in the regions.

“You can have a global network in Castleisland. I’ll bring a different dynamic. I am very cognisant of regional development, coming from where I come from (Donegal),” she said.

She stressed people and their skills were central to what a foreign company required and saw huge opportunities for the regions.

The Castleisland Aetna facility is now also the European home office for the health care benefits company — one of the largest in the US, offering benefits claims as well as health management programmes for multinational employers, government agencies and individuals.

Aetna serves over 37 million people.

Aetna Global Benefits president Martha Temple, who flew in from the US for the announcement, said the Castleisland facility had gained an excellent reputation within the company for its highly skilled and productive workforce.

Kerry North Fine Gael TD Jimmy Deenihan welcomed the announcement, but said no new foreign direct investment company had been brought to Kerry by the IDA in 10 years.

Kerry mayor Tom Fleming urged the IDA to keep concentrating on bringing more direct investment into the county.

IDA area director Brian Conroy said that expansion of existing companies was as important as getting a brand new company.