IKEA to lodge planning application for first Irish outlet tomorrow

Furniture retailer IKEA will tomorrow begin the process that it hopes will lead to the opening of its first Irish outlet.

The company will lodge a planning application with Fingal County Council for a store to be located in Ballymun, on Dublin's northside.

The shop will form part of the Ballymun Regeneration Zone and will employ 500 people.

Spokesperson Theresa Daly says although some people are worried about the increased traffic in the area, they are confident the store will not cause disruption.

“The Ballymun interchange is at 70% capacity today so of all the interchanges on the M50 it is really not congested, and secondly we are upgrading the local road network to bring it up to a higher standard than what it is today,” she said.