Cowen: 500 HP jobs a vote of confidence in Ireland
At least 300 people will be employed immediately in research and development as well as multilingual technical support jobs at the Leixlip plant.
A further 200 jobs will be created over the next 12 months.
The US-based company — which also has operations in Galway — said it hoped to again double the figure by creating 1,000 more jobs over the next two or three years.
But the new 500 jobs are just a drop in the ocean in the current context of around 1,000 people becoming unemployed every working day.
Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Mary Coughlan said yesterday there were a number of similar announcements in the pipeline.
The Tánaiste hopes to travel to the US to hold discussions with other multinationals already investing in Ireland.
“There are a number of investments we are working towards. It wouldn’t be appropriate now to say what they are,” she said.
“The work is difficult, perhaps a bit more difficult than previously. But we still have a very good pipeline and we are working very closely with other companies in either supporting expansion of existing companies or attracting new foreign direct investment here,” she told yesterday’s press conference to announce the Hewlett-Packard jobs.
A number of ministers will visit various locations in the US on St Patrick’s Day where they will engage with major multinationals.
Mr Cowen said: “While the world economy is going through a period of extraordinary difficulty, we still have reason to be confident for the future.”
He said the Government would “continue to invest heavily in education” to ensure continued investment.
