Google confirms 600 jobs for Ireland

BizWorld:

Internet giant Google has confirmed it is to create over 600 jobs in Ireland over the next two to three years.

The IDA-backed announcement was reported by Business World yesterday and was officially announced by Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Micheal Martin, and Google's European Director of Online Sales & Operations John Herlihy today.

Google's Irish operation, set up in 2003, is the multinational's headquarters for its European, Middle Eastern and African activities and is its largest base outside the US. The company employs over 800 people throughout Europe.

The expansion of the operation will bring to 1,000 the total employed by the company in Ireland and is being seen as a significant boost for the Government and the IDA.

In order to accommodate the extra staff, the company has signed a lease for a further 100,000 square feet beside its current facility on Barrow Street in Dublin 4.

Speaking at the announcement today, Mr Martin said that Google will become, in a very short period of time, one of the most substantial business support integration and development operations in Ireland.

"This decision yet again demonstrates that Ireland is by far and away the primary location for the digital media industry in Europe and second only to Silicon Valley in the US," he said.

Mr Herlihy said that basing Google's European operations in Dublin had "proven to be a great decision."

"We have found that the quality of the Irish workforce has enabled us to improve our products and services in a way that has proven to be highly beneficial for our customers, both users and advertisers," he added.

Google Ireland had a turnover of E603 million in 2004.

Google expanding European base in Ireland

Google announces over 600 new jobs at European headquarters in Dublin Ireland