800 jobs for internet sales firm
Internet sales site eBay and a subsidiary are to create up to 800 jobs in Ireland through new developments in Dublin.
eBay is to establish its second customer-support centre for Europe in Dublin and its online payments PayPal company is to base a European customer and financial services functions there.
Recruitment has already begun for the PayPal jobs, and all of the new posts will be filled by 2005.
Announcing the move, Tánaiste and Enterprise, Trade and Employment Minister Mary Harney said the development was excellent news for the Irish economy generally.
She added: “To attract an established and world-leading Internet company such as eBay and its subsidiary Pay Pal to Ireland reflects the growing profile of the country as a top location for global Internet services.”
The minister said that in the wake of recent Irish investment announcements by the Google and Overture companies, Ireland was now home to three of the world’s highest-profile Internet concerns.
All of the high-tech moves have followed negotiations with the Irish government’s Industrial Development Agency, which targets foreign investment.
Ms Harney declared: “PayPal and eBay’s investment confirms that Ireland is succeeding in implementing the stated IDA strategy of making the country a leading location for the digital media industry.”
The entry of eBay into Ireland followed yesterday’s announcement of 350 new jobs in Co Cork over the next five years through ventures by the Pepsi-Cola drinks company and Delta Homes construction firm.
Last week, though almost 1,000 redundancies were reported for early next year by high-tech companies based in Dublin and Co Kildare.
