Apple stresses core values as 1,000 jobs pledged in Cork's northside

Technology giant Apple has backed up its claims that the European Commission’s impending tax ruling won’t affect its commitment to Ireland by announcing 1,000 new jobs in advance of the decision.

The world’s largest company is to house the additional staff in a newly-constructed building alongside its current campus on the northside of Cork City. The new facility is due to be completed by mid-2017.

The expansion of its European headquarters, which was announced as Apple chief executive, Tim Cook landed in Ireland, will increase its Irish workforce to 6,000 employees on the back of a 25% increase in staff in the past 12 months.

Speaking to students in Trinity College where he was honoured by the university’s Philosophical Society with its Gold Medal of Honorary Patronage before travelling to Cork to meet with staff, Mr Cook said Apple was committed to continuing its Irish operations.

“Apple will always be proud to call Ireland home. We don’t see ourselves as a company that is in Ireland, we see ourselves as rooted here,” Mr Cook said.

The Apple chief executive’s comments were echoed by Finance Minister Michael Noonan who said the company’s commitment to and future investment in Ireland wouldn’t be affected by the controversy around its tax affairs.

The major jobs boost was widely welcomed with IDA Ireland chief executive, Martin Shanahan describing Apple’s pace of expansion to date as “truly exceptional”.

“Ever since Apple was first involved in manufacturing in Cork in 1980, the Irish site has continued to evolve and provide an excellent base to support the company’s growth and development. The scale of the operation in Hollyhill is vast, with manufacturing, supply chain, AppleCare and shared services operations taking place within one campus,” Mr Shanahan said.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny described the expansion as a vote of confidence in the country’s talent pool and also claimed it reflected the broadening economic recovery which is now being felt regionally.

Apple announced in February that it is to invest €850m in a new data centre in Athenry while about a quarter of its global workforce is now based in Cork.