This article is from page 2 of the 2009-03-03 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 2 JPG
THERE has been a wide welcome in Clare for the announcement that In- tel will create 134 new jobs over the next four years.
Junior Minister Tony Killeen TD has described Intel’s decision to in- vest €50 million in a major expan- sion at its Shannon Free Zone op- eration as a “major boost” for the mid-west region’s information and communication technology sector.
““Intel’s decision to invest further in its Shannon operations confirms the Free Zone’s position as the flagship location for international industry in this region,” he said.
The Clare TD noted that knowl- edge was now the key to competitive advantage in smart economies.
“Growing the level of Research and Development investment by new and existing multinationals in Ireland is a key Government priority. Intel’s investment gives very real meaning to our ambition to develop Ireland’s smart economy, and is a wonder- ful testament to the highly talented skills base at Intel Shannon.”
Deputy Joe Carey(FG) TD said, “This 1s a welcome announcement, following a series of difficult closures in the region over the past twelve months. These are the types of jobs which will sustain our economy in
the future. The announcement today hints at the region’s potential for fu- ture development.”
Deputy Pat Breen (FG) said that “it is now very important for the Government to refocus their atten- tion on investing in R&D projects”. Deputy Breen went on to say that “if we invest today, we will reap the benefits tomorrow” and he is urging the Government to provide the nec- essary resources to the Third Level Institutions in this region so that they can “continue the production line of science graduates”.
Attending the formal announce- ment, IBEC Director for the mid- west region Chris O’Donovan com-
mented,
‘This is a significant investment by a successful and ambitious company, which is among Ireland’s most 1m- portant business sectors.
“The announcement today, gives a clear signal that Ireland continues to have the skills and strengths re- quired to support global technology businesses.”
He added: “The expansion was secured by Shannon Development and I want to commend the agency for their efforts in this regard. Over 7,000 people are employed in over 100 companies at the Shannon Free Zone, which is managed by the De- velopment Agency.”