Foreign investment will continue: Cowen

Taoiseach Brian Cowen today insisted Ireland must continue to attract foreign investment, as he welcomed 390 jobs to the south and south-east regions.

Pharmaceutical giant Merck Sharp & Dohme is to create 170 jobs at a new €200m facility in Carlow which will employ 300 workers during construction.

In Co Cork, the Marriott International hotel chain, is expanding call centre services and will recruit 220 people.

Mr Cowen, who turned the sod on the Co Carlow development, said the Government will continue to attract investors by keeping business taxes low, funding R&D and up-skilling the workforce.

“We know that our future competitiveness will depend on innovation and a strong flow of highly-skilled employees – and we will continue to invest heavily in those areas,” he said.

“Above all, we will continue to work closely with potential investors, listen carefully to their concerns and respond whenever we can.”

Merck Sharp & Dohme, which manufactures vaccines and medicines, has two other operations located in Dublin and Co Tipperary.

“The vaccines and other products we will formulate in Carlow could ultimately be used by millions of people across the world which is a very exciting prospect,” said company executive Willie Deese.

“Ireland brings so many advantages for a company like ours – a pro-enterprise culture, a highly qualified and well-educated population, necessary support infrastructure and a record of success with projects of this scale and significance,” he added.

Marriott International operates more than 3,000 hotels worldwide and already employs 160 people at a multilingual call centre at Cork Airport Business Park.

The new facility in the Blackpool suburb of the Cork city will handle tens of thousands of reservation and customer inquiry calls.

Labour Affairs Minister Billy Kelleher said the investment was a ringing endorsement of Ireland’s reputation in the area of global customer services and support activities.

“It shows a level of confidence that the company has in our ability to provide the highly skilled personnel necessary to support a rapidly growing international business,” he said.

Marriott executive Kaye Dengel explained that Cork offers great value, combined with a skilled and ready labour force.

“It is an ideal business choice for Marriott International and a nice win for the city’s growing economy.”

Enterprise Minister Mary Coughlan is currently on a week-long IDA trade visit to the US.