NorthWestNow News

IDA Ireland End of Year Statement 2010

Sat, 10 Oct 2020 0:0:0 IST

;IDA Ireland wins significant increase in new jobs from Foreign Direct ;;Investment in 2010;

There was some good news in 2010

;Worlds leading multinationals and emerging companies increase investment in Ireland ;
;Almost 11,000 jobs created - export led recovery leads to new jobs;
;Employment per investment double 2009 level ;
;Companies investing in Ireland for first time up 20% ;
;RD&I investment of over Euro500million;

;Foreign Direct Investment (FDI); in Ireland increased significantly in 2010, despite global economic uncertainty. IDA has continued to increase the number of companies investing in Ireland for the first time while encouraging existing operations to expand and diversify their operations here. Amongst those investing in Ireland for the first time in 2010 were ;D&B, Telefonica, Warner Chilcott, LinkedIn, EA, Riot Games, Webroot, FC Stone, Spencer Stuart, Fi-Tek, Genband, Synchronoss, Aspect, Streamserve and IIR.;

Despite the turbulent global economy in which, according to the OECD, foreign direct investment declined by 8% and with increased competition for FDI, IDA secured 126 investments. IDA client companies created almost 11,000 new jobs in 2010, well in excess of 2009s outcome of 4,615 jobs. Many of IDAs existing and new clients are actively recruiting in Ireland, including HP, Accenture, Citi, Google, Facebook, Eli Lilly and MSD.

;Investment Highlights:;

Almost 11,000 new jobs created
A total of 126 foreign direct investments won
47 companies investing in Ireland for the first time, up 20% on 2009
Investment in ;Research, Development and Innovation (RD&I) over Euro500million;
62% of investments from existing companies
Over 60% of corporation tax in Ireland paid by IDA clients
Exports from IDA client companies account for over 75% of total Irish exports
Renewed investment in manufacturing partly due to Irelands improving competitiveness
Strong growth in employment intensive services investments

Welcoming the results, the ;Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation, Batt OKeeffe TD; said, Despite the period of global recession over the past two years our value proposition to multinational firms either operating here or choosing to hub in Ireland for the first time remains one of the strongest in the world.

The combined influence of Irelands ;increased competitiveness;, commitment to our ;12.5% corporate tax rate;, and quick and decisive measures taken by the Government to combat the challenging economic situation has resulted in an excellent flow of foreign direct investment.

The pre-crisis levels of investment are coming from our traditional markets of North America, mainland Europe and the United Kingdom, as well as from new high-growth markets.

It is clear from these results that the ;Governments investment strategy for science, technology and innovation ;is the right one to create high-quality jobs and support export-led economic recovery.

Crucially, the Government has resourced the States enterprise and innovation agencies, including IDA Ireland, under the four year plan for economic recovery to meet their job creation targets and accelerate our return to sustainable economic growth, said Minister OKeeffe.
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IDA Ireland CEO, Barry OLeary said,; Ireland continued in 2010 to win significant foreign direct investment. Most encouraging is the substantial increase in the scale of these investments from many of the worlds leading companies. In the past year the job numbers within investments secured show a marked increase, with the average employment per investment double the 2009 level. Export led growth is feeding through in the employment portfolio of IDAs clients, which created almost 11,000 new jobs in 2010, significantly up on the previous years total of 4,615.
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Export led economic recovery;
It is generally accepted that Irelands economic recovery will be export led. Economic forecasts project strong growth in Irelands position, with the ESRI estimating Irish exports to grow 7.5% in 2010 and 5.5% in 2011. IDA clients account for over 75% of total Irish exports. The growth and development of multinationals, with their strong focus on high value goods and services exports is fundamental to the Irish economy and is an essential component of Irelands economic recovery.

;Horizon 2020 ;
In March 2010, IDA published its strategy for the forthcoming decade, Horizon 2020. This presents our view of how the environment in which we operate will change over the next ten years, and the ;opportunities for FDI created by global trends. ;Horizon 2020 sets out our targets for the 5 year period to 2014, as well as the direction IDA will take in the pursuit of these goals. Todays results provide strong grounds to be confident that IDA will achieve its 5 year targets.

;Existing Clients and their Transformation;
Transformation of clients operations and activities in Ireland is a core element of Horizon 2020. In keeping with ;IDAs focus on transformation; within its client companies it has been encouraging to see that a large number of existing clients announced expansion and diversification investments. These involved ;skills uplift, technology uplift, RD&I in product and process, and energy initiatives; or taking on new mandates in order to increase their Irish operations strategic importance within their parent corporations.

Companies that announced expansion and diversification investments in 2010 included,; HP, SAP, Google, PayPal, eBay, AOL, Gala Games, Kelloggs, Kostal, Eli Lilly, MSD, Stream Global Services, ServiceSource, Salesforce.com, Hertz and Accenture. International Financial Services firms expanding include Zurich, Axa, Citi, State Street, UnitedHealth Group, Allianz and Generali;.

;Manufacturing;
Manufacturing is a core strategic pillar of the Irish economic landscape. With a strong base of many of the worlds leading multinationals with significant manufacturing operations in Ireland including ;Intel, Analog Devices, EMC, Abbott, Medtronic, Boston Scientific, Liebherr, Kostal, J&J and Pfizer ;located here, manufacturing will continue to remain an integral part of Irelands FDI portfolio. With our improving competitiveness, Ireland continued to attract manufacturing investments during 2010 including ;Warner Chilcott, MCI, Merit Medical, Hollister, Yves Rocher, Lufthansa Technik, Goodman Medical, Zeus, Valeo and Freund.;

;Research, Development & Innovation (RD&I);
2010 saw IDA win a number of ;high-value RD&I projects ;for Ireland with over Euro500million in new RD&I investment secured. RD&I plays a strategic role as part of Irelands FDI landscape embedding existing employment and setting the groundwork for increased future employment. Among the companies that announced RD&I investments in 2010 included ;IBM (Smarter Cities), United Technologies Research Centre (Renewable Energies), Alcatel-Lucent /Bell Labs, HP Galway, Biotrin, and Accentures Global Analytics Centre.;
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Science Foundation Ireland (SFI;) initiatives have enhanced the research environment for international investors, many of whom are collaborating with SFI funded initiatives.

;CAO choices and future job opportunities;
;Foreign Direct Investment is constantly evolving,; particularly due to the development of new technologies and business models. Employment opportunities will continue to be provided by multinationals for individuals who have appropriate skills. At a time when parents and students are examining the best prospects for their future and where long term employment opportunities exist, the data overwhelmingly suggests that meaningful opportunities continue to arise in sectors such as ;information technology, digital media, advanced manufacturing, lifesciences, medical technologies, international financial services and internationally traded services;. IDA client companies are actively recruiting candidates who are technology competent with engineering, mathematics, science and international financial and multi-lingual skills.

;Irelands relative FDI position;
During the year ;IBMs 2010 Global Locations Trends report ranked Ireland 1st globally for jobs; by inward investment per capita, injecting renewed confidence in Irelands reputation for FDI. The IBM report also enhanced Irelands position with top 10 global rankings for both jobs in R&D and jobs in business support services.

Also in ;2010, the IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook;, for the key measures influencing foreign direct investments, ranked Ireland;

1st for corporate taxes
4th for the availability of skilled labour
4th for being open to new ideas
6th for labour productivity
7th for the availability of financial skills
7th for the flexibility and adaptability of people

These are critical criteria for multinationals making mobile investment decisions.
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Competitiveness;
Irish competitiveness improved significantly in 2010. Business costs including energy, private rents, office rents, services, construction and labour have all become more competitive. Both gas and electricity prices are now below the Euro average, and the cost of living has also fallen. Office rents have decreased sharply typically up to 40%, whilst the EU has forecast that from 2008 to 2012, Irelands labour costs will have improved 13% relative to the EU (27) average. The improvement in competitiveness is helping secure new FDI for Ireland and a continuing focus on improving competitiveness is essential.

;National Infrastructure Developments;
Irelands infrastructure has improved significantly in recent years, enhancing our attractiveness as an FDI location. Improved road access to Gateway locations, EirGrid is building an East-West electricity interconnector to ensure security of supply and provide an export outlet for any excess energy, new ESB Telecoms and Hibernia (Project Kelvin) international telecoms infrastructure, and the completion of Dublin Airports Terminal 2 opening the possibility of new direct access to existing and growth markets, are creating a positive impact. Dublins Port Tunnel enhances the transportation of goods and also facilitates linking the ;International Financial Services Centre; to Dublin airport in a mere 20 minute commute. Other infrastructural improvements include major rail investments with a suite of new rolling stock, extension of the light rail network in Dublin, and enhanced frequency and shorter inter-city journey times are enhancing Irelands attractiveness as an FDI location.

;Regions;
;Horizon 2020 ;sets out to achieve a challenging target of securing 50% of investments outside Dublin and Cork. It is encouraging to see companies investing in key regional locations, such as Warner Chilcott (200 jobs, Dundalk), Global Indemnity (30 jobs, Cavan), MCI (50 jobs, Manorhamilton, Co Leitrim), United Health (200 jobs, Letterkenny), Zeus (75 jobs, Letterkenny), Elanco/Eli Lilly (ongoing investment in Sligo vaccine facility), Freund (25 jobs, Tullamore), Valeo (R&D investment at Tuam, Co Galway), Hollister (200 jobs, Ballina, Co Mayo), Merit Medical (100 jobs, Galway), EA (200 jobs, Galway), Stream Serve (20 jobs, Galway), Lumension (20 jobs, Galway), Synchronoss (Galway), IIR (50 jobs, Galway), Genband (100 jobs, Galway), Aspect (Galway), HP (105 jobs, Galway), Goodman Medical (115 jobs Galway), Enercon (30 jobs, Tralee), Straker (25 jobs, Tralee) and Citi (Waterford). Cork investments included Eli Lilly (100 jobs), United Technologies Research Centre (37 jobs), Otterbox (50 jobs), PAS Technologies and Yves Rocher.

;Growth Markets;
Horizon 2020 sets a target that 20% of Greenfield investments by 2014 will be secured from growth markets. This emphasis on growth markets has led IDA, in recent months, to open a new office in ;Singapore, a second office in China (Shenzhen) and plans to open a second office in India (Bangalore) in early 2011, complementing the opening of offices in Shanghai and Mumbai; in recent years.

IDA will continue its transformation journey to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of the agency while continuously reviewing and amending its operational foot-print both domestically and internationally.

;Employment Portfolio and Transformation;
IDA Ireland client companies created 10,897 new jobs in 2010, significantly up on the previous years level.

Our strategy includes winning as many new jobs as possible each year and giving equal priority to maintaining existing jobs. We recognise that job losses occur every year for a variety of reasons including changing competitiveness, competition from sister sites, product and technology lifecycles or global location rationalisation as a result of mergers and acquisitions.

To address the need to maintain jobs in Ireland, IDA is actively encouraging its clients to strongly engage in transformation initiatives, and is assisting them in programmes to:

improve company-wide competitiveness
enhance use of new technologies
grow the skills of the business
engage in research, development & innovation
develop new business processes
make company operations more energy efficiency

There is a requirement to have a constant agenda to support clients improve and invest to transform their Irish operations to ensure jobs can be maintained and losses minimised.

In 2010, 9,545 jobs were lost by IDA supported companies leaving an overall increase in IDAs employment portfolio of 1,352. A number of the job losses arose from the implementation of job reductions announced in the first half of 2009.

;FDI Impact on Economy;
IDA supported companies directly employ c.139,000 people with a total impact of 240,000 jobs in the Irish economy, and account for Euro110bn or over 75% of total Irish exports (goods and services). These companies contribute over Euro19 billion in direct expenditure to the Irish economy.

;FDI Outlook and Irelands Reputation;
The global outlook for FDI in 2011 remains challenging but a continuing focus on improving competitiveness will place Ireland in a favourable position to win further significant FDI and contribute strongly to Irelands export led economic recovery. Significant FDI wins in 2010 have built a strong momentum for investment which will be carried through in 2011. It is encouraging to note that many investments secured last year will be recruiting this year, feeding further employment-growth in IDAs portfolio. IDAs focus will continue to be on high end manufacturing, global services and RD&I across a wide range of sectors. In particular ;ICT, Digital Media, International Financial Services, Internationally Traded Services, Lifesciences and Cleantech; are poised for further growth.

Restoring Irelands reputation in the international media will be a key priority in 2011 and IDA will work closely with all relevant stakeholders in Team Ireland. Irelands value proposition which includes our talent pool, attractive corporation tax regime, strong track record of FDI companies and technological capability remains strongly attractive to many of the worlds leading multinationals and emerging companies.

To position Ireland in the global business community IDA commenced a new marketing campaign in North America in Q4 2009. During 2010 we built upon this campaign extending its reach to Europe and India. It is critically important that Irelands investment message is carried in international media, and media interviews with global business channels such as CNBC, Bloomberg and Fox have been a feature of our marketing effort.
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Conclusion;
IDA Ireland CEO, Barry OLeary concluded There has never been greater need for increased levels of FDI. As a nation, and leveraging the assets and capability of ;Team Ireland;, we are well capable of continuing to attract and increase the level of inward investment in Ireland. It is particularly encouraging, against the backdrop of last year, that IDA secured investments from 47 companies establishing a presence in Ireland for the first time, with a further 79 investments from existing companies already here. The level of confidence demonstrated by ;overseas investors in Ireland ;ensures we will remain one of the leading locations in the world for foreign direct investment.

The international FDI community continues to have confidence in Ireland. We too should be confident in our ability to secure increased levels of investment. Our enhanced competitiveness means Ireland is winning more FDI business, which is contributing significantly to Irelands export led economic recovery.
IDA IRELAND INDICATORS

;Indicator ;	;2010 Value;
JOBS CREATED	10,897
TOTAL NUMBER OF INVESTMENTS APPROVED	126
NEW CLIENTS	47
EXISTING CLIENTS, of which	79
No. of Expansion Projects	42
No. of Research, Development & Innovation Projects	37
% of Investments locating outside Greater Dublin and Cork	37%
% of Jobs locating outside Greater Dublin and Cork	45%
Investment in Research, Development & Innovation Projects	c.Euro500m
Annual Corporate Tax Payments of IDA Client Companies (Note - Corporate Tax data refers to year 2009)	Euro2.4 billion (est)

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;Contacts:
IDA Ireland;

Trevor Holmes, Head of Communications Tel: +353 1 603 4023 / Mob: +353 87 242 5560

Thomas McEvoy, Media and PR Manager Tel: +353 1 603 4255 / Mob: +353 87 742 6684

Steam and Generation Services in Londonderry wins first export business

Sat, 10 Oct 2020 0:0:0 IST

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;Steam and Generation Services in Londonderry wins first export business ;

;;Steam and Generation Services (SGS) in Maydown has been assisted by Invest Northern Ireland to win its first export business.

SGS, based at Carrakeel Industrial Park in Londonderry, secured a significant contract to provide coded (insurance accredited) welding and other mechanical and engineering services at the Tynagh Energy power station in Galway.

The export business was achieved within a year of the formation of the company, a 260,000 investment with assistance of 35,000 from Invest NI. Invest NI has also assisted the company to develop its management systems.

SGS also recently received key industry accreditations ISO 14001 (Environmental Management Systems); ISO 9001 (Quality Management); and ISO 18001 (Health and Safety).

The companys success was announced by Sean Hegarty, SGS Sales and Marketing Director, and welcomed by Des Gartland, Invest NIs North West Regional Office Manager in Derry, during a visit to the company, which was set up last February and currently employs eight people.

Mr Hegarty said: Winning this first business in the Republic of Ireland is immensely encouraging since SGS was established to develop opportunities throughout the island of Ireland in line with the development of an all-island power generation market.

We secured the business because of our management teams knowledge, experience and contacts in the power industry. It positions us for further growth in both Northern Ireland and the Republic.

Achieving the three accreditations is also extremely important because all our target customers expect excellent services that meet their time critical requirements that minimise downtime in boiler operations.

The support we have received from Invest NI towards starting and developing the business has been terrific. It has enabled us to achieve our key objective of winning significant business in the Republic, a market that we expect to provide around a third of our business this year.

Mr Gartland, commenting on the companys achievements, said: SGS is demonstrating a strong commitment to business outside Northern Ireland and an impressive entrepreneurial drive. The team has an impressive track record and a wealth of experience in this important and highly competitive industry.

Our support was shaped to encourage and assist the business to move into exporting as quickly as practical because we recognised the potential of the energy market in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland and also because of the quality of the employment opportunities that the business would be likely to provide.

The company is ahead of its employment targets and at peak contract times, it has actually exceeded employment projections. Our hope is that the success in the Republic will encourage SGS, in time, to explore opportunities in the much larger Great Britain marketplace.

It has also achieved the essential accreditations required by this exacting industry through an impressive commitment to excellence in all aspects of the business, he added.

Zeus expands operation in Letterkenny

Sat, 10 Oct 2020 0:0:0 IST

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Zeus Industrial Products expands operation in Letterkenny creating 75 new jobs;

Tanaiste and Minister for Education, Mary Coughlan TD today announced that Zeus, the US headquartered ;medical device company;, is investing Euro10m in a 40,000sq ft expansion and creating 75 new manufacturing jobs over 3 years. The expansion of its facility at the; IDA Business and Technology Park, Letterkenny, Co Donegal; is supported by IDA Ireland.

Zeus Industrial Products Inc (Zeus), headquartered in Orangeburg, South Carolina, USA, is a leading developer and manufacturer of precision polymer extrusions, including specialist fluropolymer tubing solutions, for a range of industries. Established in 1966, the company is privately held by the original founder Mr. Frank P. Tourville and employs 1,200 people worldwide.

Speaking at todays announcement Tanaiste Coughlan said The decision by Zeus to expand its operation in Letterkenny is testament to the availability of a ;highly-skilled workforce in the North West region,; the performance of its existing staff and the ease of doing business in Ireland. On behalf of the Government, I look forward to providing continued support to Zeus as its Irish operation grows and develops.

;Seamus Hughes, General Manager of Zeus Industrial Products (Ireland),; Limited said Since establishing our operation in 2005, our experience of doing business in Ireland has been a positive one. Due to the growth in our customer base in Europe, we are expanding our operation in Letterkenny to meet the demand for our medical and industrial speciality tubing product. We are very excited about our expansion plans and I look forward to finding the right calibre of staff to ensure our continued success here.

In addition, I would like to thank the Executive Management team of Zeus Inc, for their continued support of the Irish Operation and their confidence in the Irish employees. On behalf of the Irish employees, I am very proud to be part of a very progressive organisation.
Finally, I would like to express our appreciation for the work and contribution made by IDA Ireland during this process and supported by the Irish Government
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IDA Ireland CEO, Barry OLeary; welcoming todays announcement said Zeus is an important manufacturer in the medical device industry in Ireland and offers a key sub supply role in a very specialized area. This expansion was won for Ireland in the face of stiff international competition from other global locations, proving that ;Ireland has an increasingly competitive and pro-business environment t;o offer investors with a strong manufacturing focus.

;About Zeus, Inc.: ;
Zeus, Inc. is headquartered in Orangeburg, SC USA. Zeus is a world leader in material science and the production of high-performance polymer tubing used in demanding applications; operating multiple facilities in North America and internationally. Zeus products and services are preferred by companies in medical, automotive, electrical, fluid handling, aerospace, and mechanical markets. For more information, visit www.zeusinc.com.
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For media queries please contact: ;
irelandhr@zeusinc.com
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IDA Ireland;
Joe McHugh, Regional Manager, North West +353 87 247 7404
Thomas McEvoy, Press & PR +353 87 742 6684
Gillian Kelly, Press & PR +353 87 178 9893
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Department of Education;
Sean Perry, Press Advisor to the Tanaiste, Mob: 0879105013
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For recruitment and supplier queries please contact Zeus ;
irelandhr@zeusinc.com

Ridney Dolphin to establish Customer Service Centre in Londonderry

Sat, 10 Oct 2020 0:0:0 IST

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;Foster announces almost 300 new jobs for the North West ;

;;Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster today announced that Rigney Dolphin is to establish a new customer service centre in Londonderry, creating 297 jobs.

Invest NI has offered 1.2million of support toward the investment which will generate over 4million annually through the creation of 297 jobs over the next three years.

Rigney Dolphin, headquartered in Waterford, is a leading outsource service provider, currently employing more than 1,200 people who deliver customer relationship management services and back office support, including payroll and HR functions.

Its clients include many blue chip companies, such as Meteor, BMW, Carphone Warehouse and Airtricity. The new centre will allow Rigney Dolphin to closely service its Northern Ireland clients and establish a platform for expanding into the UK market.

Arlene Foster said: This investment is good news as it comes at a challenging time for the economy in the north west and Northern Ireland as a whole. Invest Northern Ireland worked hard to secure this investment for Londonderry, tailoring a competitive package of support to ensure the project came to this region. It is a success which demonstrates the organisations ongoing commitment to supporting economic development in the north west and across Northern Ireland.

Rigney Dolphin will offer new employment and career development opportunities and deliver a considerable contribution to the local economy by generating in excess of 4million annually once the full staff complement is reached.

The project is the latest in a series of inward investment successes that Invest NI has secured and it further reinforces our growing reputation as a high quality, cost-competitive location for global businesses.

Celine Fitzgerald, Rigney Dolphins CEO, said: Northern Ireland and the UK hold great potential for us to grow. Establishing this customer service centre allows us to more closely service our Northern Ireland clients and is an important strategic development for us as we seek to expand our customer base into the UK. We are confident that the new operation will enhance our ability to deliver the highest level of customer care while retaining a sharp focus on growth.

Invest NI Helps E-Learning Company Target New Markets

Sat, 10 Oct 2020 0:0:0 IST

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;Invest NI Helps E-learning Company Target New Markets;

;;A Londonderry based company specialising in online learning as a service is investing 215,000 to develop new high potential products and market its existing products internationally, with support from Invest Northern Ireland.

Learning Pool, set up in 2006, has established itself as a leader in online learning for the public sector. The company develops the content and software for e-learning courses and has built an exciting online community based on its annual subscription services.

It is now seeking to strengthen its brand internationally and build upon recent success in South Africa. The company is investigating the potential of serious gaming technology as an innovative medium for its customers. Invest NI has offered Learning Pool 66,000 to support growth in target markets.

Donal Durkan, Director of Invest NIs Life Sciences and Creative division, says: Learning Pool has pioneered the development of innovative products to help the public sector improve the skills and competence of staff. It recently secured a major deal in South Africa and is well positioned to take advantage of international opportunities in this developing sector.

Invest NI support will help the company to move quickly to explore new product and market opportunities.

The GAP support will help Learning Pool to employ a service delivery manager and a head of social media, both key posts in the companys drive for growth. It will also enable it to contract consultants to develop new business in the Southern African region, enhance the companys UK and online brand, and research the serious gaming market.

Learning Pools Director, Paul McElvaney, says: We have set ourselves ambitious sales growth targets for our current products and are also seeking to develop new income sources from social media and games-based learning. The support from Invest NI is essential in allowing us to quickly secure the high calibre skills needed to achieve this.

Direct International Connectivity

Sat, 10 Oct 2020 0:0:0 IST

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;Direct International Connectivity;

;Project Kelvin is now fully operational, and provides Northern Ireland with its first direct telecoms link to North America, and improved connectivity to continental Europe.

Co-financed under the INTERREG IVA programme 2007-2013, and in partnership with the Department of Communication, Energy and Natural Resources in the Republic of Ireland, a Euro29.5m contract to build and operate the new link was awarded to Hibernia Atlantic Limited in December 2008 following a competitive tendering process.

Project Kelvin has brought a new submarine cable from Portrush to the Hibernia North Transatlantic cable located 22 miles off the North coast. The new international telecommunications link interconnects with Northern Irelands existing telecommunications infrastructure at a number of different locations throughout Northern Ireland - Armagh, Ballymena, Belfast, Coleraine, Londonderry, Omagh, Portadown and Strabane. Businesses across NI can access the international link through local telecoms networks.

NI businesses can benefit from improved competition in the NI telecommunications market and improved speed and reliability of international telecommunications. Project Kelvin will also provide for international telecommunications at a cost comparable to that in major European cities such as Dublin, Glasgow, Manchester and Amsterdam.

Pricing, latency and availability of telecoms services on the Kelvin network are contractually guaranteed until 2018.

Users of telecoms services will also benefit from the improved resilience of Northern Irelands robust telecoms infrastructure.

Further details are available from:Telecoms Policy Unit, DETI, Netherleigh, Massey Avenue Belfast, BT4 2JP
Telephone: 028 9052 9900
Email: telecomspolicy@detini.gov.uk

or

Hibernia Atlantic, International Exchange Centre, Clonshaugh Industrial Estate,
Dublin 17, Ireland. Telephone : 00353-1-8673600. Website: www.hiberniaatlantic.com

John Hume is Voted Ireland's Greatest

Sat, 10 Oct 2020 0:0:0 IST

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;John Hume is Voted Irelands Greatest;
Politician and co-recipient of the 1998 Nobel Peace Prize, John Hume has been announced as the winner of RTÉs Irelands Greatest series.

The results of the public text and phone vote were revealed on The Late Late Show tonight, Friday 22 October 2010, much to the delight of Humes champion, journalist and Primetime presenter, Miriam O Callaghan.

The results of The Irelands Greatest Top Five, as based on public phone/text poll are:

1. John Hume

2. Michael Collins

3. Mary Robinson

4. James Connolly

5. Bono

Upon hearing the news Miriam, who presented the documentary, said, "I am overjoyed for John Hume and his family - I truly am. He so deserves it. Here is a man who has done so much for this country and we are finally acknowledging his great achievements and sacrifice. This is a way of simply saying thank you to him. It was honestly never about awards for John. When he set off on his life-long mission to bring peace to this island of ours and to heal the divisions between the two communities, it was always about respect, about integrity and about dialogue. But it was a very long, very lonely and very difficult journey. Attacked from all sides, his life threatened, he never gave up and against all the odds, he kept going and stayed true to his vision of a new agreed Ireland, where difference is respected and not used as an excuse for violence. All of us are reaping the benefits of his lifelong work - and that is why I passionately believe we should all be eternally grateful to him and overjoyed that he has won the title of Irelands Greatest."

As a reporter for both the BBC and RTÉ, Miriam covered some of the darkest days of the Troubles in Northern Ireland, as well as crucial stages in the peace process which led to the Good Friday Agreement. She said, "For me, Hume always stood out from the crowd: his tenacity or stickability allowed him to keep going on his peaceful path even when under attack from all sides, including from me at times!"

During the course of the programme, which aired on RTÉ One on Monday October 11th, Miriam O Callaghan re-visited the sites of the Enniskillen Remembrance Day bombing and the Shankill Road bomb, as well as Greysteel and Magilligan Strand, where Hume led a peaceful civil rights protest that was baton-charged by the army and police just one week before Bloody Sunday. To bookend her documentary, Miriam visited Oslo, home of the Nobel Peace Museum and also where John Hume received his Nobel Peace Prize alongside David Trimble.

Julian Vignoles, Assistant Commissioning Editor, Factual Programmes, RTÉ Television, said: "I am delighted that Irelands Greatest has engaged hundreds of thousands of Irish viewers in discussion and debate about our history. All five subjects have played a key role in Irish history, in Irish society. Its a fascinating snapshot of public opinion right here, right now."

Over the course of the five documentaries, produced by Tyrone Productions for RTÉ, an average of 318,400 people watched the series, attracting almost a quarter of the share of the available television audience.

UnitedHealth Group Expansion in Letterkenny

Sat, 10 Oct 2020 0:0:0 IST

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;Tanaiste announces 200 New Jobs for UnitedHealth Group in Letterkenny;

IT & Medical Claims Jobs Confirmed By Tanaiste

Tanaiste and Minister for Education Mary Coughlan TD today (July 15^th 2010) announced that US health insurer UnitedHealth Group is to expand its operation in Letterkenny with the creation of 200 new jobs. The announcement is supported by the Irish Government with the aid of IDA.

The Minneapolis-based health insurer currently employs 340 people in IT and medical claims processing at its Letterkenny site, and this latest investment is expected to further embed jobs into the future. The 200 new positions will be split evenly between IT technicians and medical claims associates.

Commenting at the announcement, Tanaiste and Minister for Education, Mary Coughlan TD said, Todays announcement by UnitedHealth is a remarkable boost to one of Donegals most valuable employers. This expansion by one of the worlds leading health insurers is significant to the financial services sector in Ireland.

UnitedHealths decision to expand in Ireland comes about as a direct result of the availability of highly-skilled staff in the region, the performance and tenure of existing staff and also the geographic location of the Letterkenny site its time zone lends itself to the 24/7 support needed for the US and Indian markets. On behalf of the Irish Government I look forward to providing continued support to UnitedHealth as its Irish operation grows and develops.

Having strong telecom connectivity has been an important aspect of securing this investment. The development of the Metropolitan Areas Networks and the recent addition of the direct international connectivity provided by Project Kelvin are instrumental in supporting employment intensive investment in the Border region.

US Vice-President of Operations, Jim Becker, described todays events as, a proud day for the UnitedHealth Group. We are delighted to be in Letterkenny and to share in the success of Padraig Monaghan, our MD here, and his team. There were clear parameters for us in expanding our operations and we did indeed look at other sites around the world. However, the Letterkenny facility stood out for us. Their unquestionable ability to succeed each and every day, along with their strategic location and passionate workforce made our decision very easy. We also had an excellent working relationship with the IDA which has facilitated our expansion in Donegal and I would like to thank the organisation for that.

Managing Director of UnitedHealth, Padraig Monaghan paid tribute to his loyal staff stating, We are very fortunate to have staff who possess such a steely and determined work ethic. Todays announcement is testament to their hard work over the past 11 years. We have a proven track record in maintaining high standards within all our divisions and we are very proud to be able to increase the capacity of the company given the current economic challenges. This is also a great day for Letterkenny and the broader business community who will benefit indirectly from this announcement.

IDA CEO Barry OLeary said, United Health is a Fortune 100 company and has operations in 63 locations worldwide. The jobs announced today in IT and medical claims processing will be undertaken for clients in the United States, the Middle-East, Europe and Asia. Services Innovation is an important area of focus for IDA and an important part of IDAs strategy. IDA Ireland looks forward to supporting UnitedHealth as it continues to grow its operations in Ireland.

Recruitment for the 200 jobs has now begun and it is expected that all positions will be filled by the end of 2011.

;ENDS.;; ;; ;

;;Notes to Editors:;; ;

;;About United Healthcare;United Healthcare (www.uhc.com) provides a full spectrum of consumer-oriented health benefits plans and services to individuals, public sector employers and businesses of all sizes, including more than half of the Fortune 100 companies in the United States. The company organizes access to quality, affordable health care services on behalf of approximately 25 million individual US based consumers, contracting directly with more than 600,000 physicians and care professionals and 5,000 hospitals to offer them broad, convenient access to services nationwide. UnitedHealthcare is one of the businesses of UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH), a diversified Fortune 50 health and well-being company.

;About UnitedHealth Group;

;;UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) is a diversified health and well-being company dedicated to making health care work better. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minn., UnitedHealth Group offers a broad spectrum of products and services through six operating businesses: UnitedHealthcare, Ovations, AmeriChoice, OptumHealth, Ingenix, and Prescription Solutions. Through its family of businesses, UnitedHealth Group serves more than 70 million individuals across American. It also conducts a diversified range of related health care activities globally with 63 offices worldwide.

Contacts: ;Joanne Sweeney-Burke Tyler Mason;;; ;

;Media Box UnitedHealth Group

0035374 9168478 / 0035387 6237373 (312) 424 6913 ; ;joanne@mediabox.ie tyler.mason@uch.com ;; ;

;;IDA Ireland;Thomas McEvoy, Press and PR Manager, Mob: 087 7426684

Antoinette Tyrrell, Press Officer , Mob: 0877572053 Tel: 087 7572053

;Department of Education;Sean Perry, Press Advisor to the Tanaiste, Mob: 0879105013

C-TRIC wins top prize for a Cross-border Innovation Project

Sat, 10 Oct 2020 0:0:0 IST

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University of Ulster expertise took centre stage in Dublin in March when pioneering research and development business projects were showcased at The Irish Times All-island Innovation awards in association with InterTradeIreland.

The Altnagelvin-based project ;C-TRIC; took the top prize for a cross-border innovation project, while Clinical Conduct Associates - a Fusion project - was runner-up in the same category at the prize-giving held at a gala reception at the Irish Museum of Modern Art in Dublin.

Seventeen organisations were shortlisted in six categories from 282 companies and organisations that initially registered in the competition.

;C-TRIC (Clinical Translational Research and Innovation Centre); has been developed as a joint partnership between the University of Ulster, the Western Health and Social Care Trust (Western Trust) and Derry City Council, with funding for the project provided by ILEX urban regeneration company and Invest Northern Ireland.

The purpose built unit in the Altnagelvin Hospital site in Londonderry brings healthcare, technology and research under one roof to facilitate the development of innovative products and services.

The only facility of kind in Ireland or Britain, Its "bench to bedside" approach aims to reduce the time to market and costs associated with R&D in health technologies, medical devices and therapeutics.

Clinical Conduct Associates (CCA) is a contract clinical research organisation providing drug and medical device services to the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industries worldwide. Its headquarters are in Cork and it has offices in the UK and mainland Europe.

CCA has developed a new online patient recruitment and screening database for clinical trials for multi-national biotech and pharm companies, with assistance from InterTradeIrelands Fusion programme.Key University of Ulster personnel who are involved with the projects attended the awards ceremony.

Eddie Friel, Head of Business Liaison and Academic Enterprise at the University of Ulster Office, who is based at Magee, said: "This is a huge morale boost everyone involved in C-TRIC. Having come so far in our first year of operation will obviously add to our growing international prestige.

"Next on the agenda for us is our second Translational Medicine conference, which will take place in Derry on April 29th and 30th, which is already generating a lot of interest among people in the sector in many countries."

"Itll be a conference that celebrates a successful inaugural year for C-TRIC and it will hear all about the latest developments in a field that which will be key to the North-West growth as high technology and product development centre. Now, after tonight, weve something extra special to celebrate."

Dr Maurice OKane, Chief Executive of C-TRIC and Head of Research and Development, Western Trust, said today: "Im delighted with the recognition this award brings C-TRIC and the focus it places on healthcare innovation and research in the North West. I hope this achievement will help to spread the message to the biotechnology sector and business community that C-TRIC is achieving results and is growing from strength to strength."

Liam Nellis, Chief Executive of InterTradeIreland, commented: "Innovation is critical to the future of both economies on the island, North and South. Now, more than ever, businesses need an innovative and enterprising culture for commercial success and growth. "On behalf of InterTradeIreland and The Irish Times, I would like to congratulate the University of Ulster and all winners here tonight. To stand out from a field of 120 entries, each category winner had to prove their ability to innovate and advance. Im delighted that these awards have managed to achieve exactly what they set out to do, which was to showcase the best examples of innovation on the island."

Handover of Fort George Telehouse

Sat, 10 Oct 2020 0:0:0 IST

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;The Department for Social Development completes hand over of Fort George Telehouse;

The Department for Social Development (DSD) has officially handed over the Project Kelvin Telehouse to Hibernia Atlantic, marking a further step in developing Derrys Fort George site.

Hibernia Atlantic, the transatlantic cable firm, will now complete the fit-out of the facility. This will enable businesses across the North West to access high speed broadband communications with North America directly through a transatlantic communications network.

Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie, said: "The successful completion of the Project Kelvin Telehouse at Fort George, is an example of how the public and private sectors can work together to deliver for Derry. My Department and Ilex will continue to work with the private sector to maximise both the benefits of the investment in Project Kelvin and the benefits this can deliver for all the people of the city."

Scott McClelland, North West Electronics (NWE) Group Managing Director added: "This is great news for the North West. With a top class facility connected directly to the project Kelvin infrastructure, we will have the facilities to connect businesses and enterprises to the shortest and fastest routes to the worlds internet exchanges. This is the first development of its type outside Belfast and Dublin and it will put us in the position to take full advantage of the first point in Europe that connects subsea cables to the United States.

"I would like to acknowledge the swift response of the Department for Social Developments North West Development Office and Department for Regional Developments Roads Service who have facilitated the laying of 8km of fibre optic cables that will connect our new development to the Project Kelvin telehouse."

The Department had previously provided funding of 500,000 to Ilex, Derrys regeneration company, enabling the Project Kelvin Telehouse to be constructed at Fort George. The location of this facility on the DSD-owned site, is seen as both an important marketing tool for the city and a trigger for further economic activity.

DSD also confirmed that it has given permission to NWE Wireless Networks, a local electronics company, to run a fibre optic cable from its offices at Skeoge Industrial Park through DSD land at Galliagh Linear Park to connect to the telehouse. This is the first practical example of local businesses benefiting from Project Kelvin.

The NWE Group is developing a Half Megawatt Datacentre. This facility will use the latest Green technologies to save 25% energy costs in comparison to other similar centres. NWE Groups Communications House Building is presently being fitted out to house servers and routers providing access to the latest cloud computing solutions which connect and deliver content to the internet for businesses.

SITA announce 80 new jobs for Letterkenny

Sat, 10 Oct 2020 0:0:0 IST

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Tanaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Mary Coughlan TD today (Monday 28 September 2009) welcomed the announcement by ;SITA, ;a software company in Letterkenny, Co. Donegal, of its recruitment of a further ;80 jobs; over the next 12 months. It will bring employment to 150 people and follows the expansion of operations and a move into new premises in order to meet the growth in demand for its products and services. The Tanaiste was in Letterkenny to perform the official opening of the new premises at the Windy Hall Office Park. This recruitment is the fulfilment of SITAs project as announced in 2005, which is supported by Government through IDA Ireland.

SITA is actively recruiting and will attend the GradIreland Graduate Careers Fair, in Dublin on October 21^st. More information on its operations and the employment opportunities on offer are available at www.sita.aero/careers.

SITA is the worlds leading specialist in air transport communications and IT solutions. SITAs operation in Letterkenny was established following its acquisition in 2003 of Eland Technologies, an Irish software company.

An Tanaiste said the expansion into the new facility, the growth of operations and the commencement of further recruitment is excellent news as it further embeds the facility in Letterkenny and offers additional high value employment to the people of the area. It is also a further significant endorsement of Letterkenny and the whole North-West as a location where international investments can develop and thrive and it demonstrates SITAs confidence in the areas ability to support its knowledge-intensive and highly-skilled activities.

SITA is owned by the air transport industry and its partners, which include airlines, airports and air transport organisations throughout the world. Its services and solutions are provided for every stage of a journey, from reservation web bookings and ticketing through check-in, border management and baggage tracking, to departure, flight operations and in-flight communications.

Francesco Violante, CEO, SITA,; ;said: SITAs development team in Letterkeny has consistently delivered work of a very high standard. When deciding on software development locations we are spoiled for choice but the high performance of our Irish staff and the support and cooperation of the IDA have convinced us to expand our Letterkenny facility and to bring other IT development work to the site that might have been done elsewhere.

SITA is unique as the only global IT provider still owned by the industry it serves. Our solutions and services are vital to the well-being of the air transport system worldwide from flight operations to baggage management. The benefits of the work carried out in Letterkenny are felt far and wide in our industry. The quality of the work done here in Letterkenny is outstanding and we are delighted at the opportunity to fill these new positions and cement our ties with the local community.

;Note for Editor;

About SITA

SITA is the worlds leading specialist in air transport communication and IT solutions. SITA delivers and manages business solutions for airline, airport, GDS, government and other customers over the worlds most extensive network, which forms the communications backbone of the global air transport industry. SITAs portfolio includes managed global communications, infrastructure and outsourcing services, as well as services for airline commercial management and passenger operations, flight operations, aircraft operations and air-to-ground communications, airport management and operations, baggage operations, transportation security and border management, cargo operations and more. With a customer service team of over 1,600 staff around the world, SITA invests significantly in achieving best-in-class customer service, providing integrated local and global support for both its communications and IT application services. SITA has two main subsidiaries: OnAir, which is the leading provider of in-flight connectivity, and CHAMP Cargosystems, the worlds only IT company dedicated solely to air cargo. SITA also operates two joint ventures providing services to the air transport community: Aviareto for aircraft asset management and CertiPath for secure electronic identity management. SITA is one of the worlds most international companies. Its global reach is based on local presence, with services for around 550 air transport industry members and 3,200 customers in over 200 countries and territories. In 2009, the company celebrates 60 years in business. Set up in 1949 with 11 member airlines, SITA today employs people of more than 140 nationalities, speaking over 70 different languages. SITA had consolidated revenues of over US$1.47 billion (Euro1.13 billion) in 2008. For further information go to www.sita.aero

;;

;About SITA in Ireland;

;;SITAs Letterkenny operation was established following SITAs purchase of Eland Technologies, an Irish software company, in August 2003. It has been integrated into SITAs Application Services business unit and the Letterkenny team is responsible for software development of products and services in the areas of border management, e-commerce, airport management systems and integration. At Dublin Airport, SITA is the Systems Integrator for the specialist IT and communications systems for the airports new Euro395 million Terminal Two. Other SITA operations in Ireland include, Aviareto, which is based in Dublin and is a joint venture between SITA and the Irish Government. It is contracted by the International Civil Aviation Authority (ICAO) to establish and operate the International Registry of mobile assets as required by the Cape Town Treaty 2001. OnAir, a subsidiary of SITA, is the company that provides inflight mobile usage to Ryanairs passengers since March of this year. Further information can be found at www.sita.aero; ;

;;;For further information please contact ;;SITA ;

;;

;;

;SITA ;Denis McClean, Director, Public RelationsTel: +41-22-747-6824Mobile: +41-79-2173357Email: Denis.McClean@sita.aero; ;

; ;;SITA;

Brenda Flinter, PR Manager

Mobile: +353 87 750 6229Email: Brenda.Flinter@sita.aero; ;

; ;;Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment ;Press Office, Tel: 01- 6312200

Roisin McCann, Mob: 0872594144

; ;;IDA Ireland ;Antoinette Tyrrell, Press & PR, Mob: 087 7572053

;ENDS.;

Letterkenny Institute of Technology CoLab Centre opens

Sat, 10 Oct 2020 0:0:0 IST

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;An Tanaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Mary Coughlan, TD, declared the CoLab centre at Letterkenny Institute of Technology (LYIT) officially open today (21 September 2009). ;

CoLab (formerly BDC) provides modern office space, business mentoring, access to specialist equipment and research teams for tenant companies. There are currently 12 start-up businesses that are already located at the centre which employ a total of 28 people. Unveiling the commemorative plaque in CoLab the Tanaiste said: CoLab is a superb asset to the local economy in Donegal and the North West region. I am delighted to see that the CoLab tenants are already developing innovative products and services including computer games, flight navigation, currency trading, medical devices, digital publishing, web applications and direct marketing solutions. She continued: Just like the other 20 incubation centres in Ireland which between them house 230 companies and employ over 1,000 people, we look forward to seeing these technology-intensive firms grow and graduate out of the incubation centre and into the local economy, to provide well paid employment for the people of the North West region. The Tanaiste finished by stating that, Ireland has to be an innovation island, we must find ways to be faster, better, quicker to deliver to customers and markets. Paul Hannigan, President of LYIT thanked the Tanaiste for opening CoLab and emphasised that the centre will provide a home, and support, to knowledge-based companies so they can grow in a supportive innovative learning environment and provide a hub where local businesses can come together to draw on each others resources and the educational resources of LYIT. He said, That innovation isnt an alien concept to LYIT, weve been working behind the scenes to create links between industry, research and staff, for some time. CoLab is the culmination of this. Of the 12 companies in CoLab, 11 have developed high-tech software and web technology services. Entrepreneur Gerry Burke from Letterkenny is CEO of the twelfth company - Synergy Flow - and is in the process of establishing this medical devices company in Letterkenny with support through the Enterprise Ireland business partners programme.

Mr Burke said, CoLab has been a great help at this very early stage in my company formation by providing a first class modern facility with access to entrepreneurially-orientated professionals in CoLab itself, LYIT and the wider community. Aernav, another of the CoLab companies, is developing an electronic flight bag for pilots, a lightweight hand held device that will replace the cumbersome suitcase of flight manuals, maps and navigational material that pilots currently have to carry from flight to flight. The company plans to launch its product to the US and European markets in 2010. Frank Ryan, Chief Executive of Enterprise Ireland, said: Supporting regional enterprise is one of Enterprise Irelands key priorities, now more than ever before. CoLab, as one of Enterprise Irelands campus incubators is one of our main instruments for supporting entrepreneurs to start up new companies and create high-value jobs. According to a recent independent evaluation of Enterprise Irelands Campus Incubation Programme, 91% of tenants in incubators intend to remain in their region after moving on from the centre which is good news for Donegal. After all, incubation is more than a building, its a dynamic process. CoLab brings to 21 the number of campus incubation centres funded by the Tanaistes Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. This integrated research and incubation facility received Euro2.5 million in funding from Enterprise Ireland and a further Euro1 million from the Department of Education and Science. It expands on the existing footprint of the Institutes existing Business Development Centre (BDC) enterprise facility. The CoLab incubation facility was co-funded by the Irish Government and the EU under the National Development Plan 2007-2013, and the European Union Regional Development Fund respectively.

;ENDS ;

Hibernia Atlantic completes Phase One of its Project Kelvin Transatlantic Fibre Optic Cable Build as submarine cable comes ashore

Sat, 10 Oct 2020 0:0:0 IST

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;SUMMIT, NJ & DUBLIN, IRELAND- JUNE 22, 2009;

Hibernia Atlantic, the only diverse transAtlantic submarine transport cable provider, is proud to announce the completion of phase one of the Project Kelvin cable deployment, directly connecting Northern Ireland to North America.

As part of the Department of Enterprise, Trade & Investment (DETI) for Northern Ireland and the Irish Department of Communications and Natural Resources (DCENR) the Project Kelvin initiative and Hibernia Atlantic have brought its industry leading, fibre optic submarine cable ashore at Portrush, Northern Ireland this week. This cable will connect with Hibernia Atlantics terrestrial fibre optic ring currently being deployed to 13 towns and cities, including Armagh, Ballymena, Belfast, Coleraine, Londonderry, Omagh, Portadown,
Strabane, Letterkenny, Castleblayney, Dundalk, Drogheda and Monaghan.

By autumn, and well in advance of the projected timetable, the cable system will connect to Hibernia Atlantics existing secure and diverse transAtlantic cable, thereby directly connecting Northern Ireland and the Island of Ireland to North America and Europe.

This Project Kelvin cable build will add additional and much needed capacity to this region to further support both local and global commerce. Local companies are attracted to the high capacity, extremely secure and reliable network. Businesses can now increase their communications and next-generation Internet service offerings (such as streaming video and video conferencing), as well as increase their access to a larger marketplace of available service providers.

The new network is also attractive to global companies, such as leading financial houses, exchange markets, service providers and media companies, who require fast, low latency bandwidth that avoids traditionally congested routes, such as around the New York and London waterways.

Welcoming this weekends operation to bring the new transAtlantic submarine telecommunications cable ashore, Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster said "this is a historic milestone for both Northern Ireland and for Project Kelvin. The new cable will connect Northern Ireland, for the first time, directly to North America and greatly improve connectivity with Europe. When combined with the new terrestrial telecommunications
infrastructure, currently under construction across Northern Ireland, it will put us at the heart of the global economy."

The Minister encouraged local companies to take advantage of the new, international cables benefits and opportunities.

She continued, "Northern Ireland companies will have access to the same international telecommunications services as found in major cities including London, Amsterdam and New York. We are now firmly on the world telecoms map and I urge Northern Ireland companies to exploit the opportunities this will bring.

"This flagship project is one of a number of actions being taken under the Programme for Government to capitalise on Northern Irelands world-class telecommunications infrastructure.

"In these difficult economic times, telecommunications has an important role to play both in helping our companies continue to compete, and in providing access to new and emerging markets, in preparation for the upturn in the world economy."

Eamon Ryan, Irelands Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources also welcomed the arrival of the cable.

He said "the nature of communications is developing at apace and we must be part of this. Today Ireland links international communications networks. This will facilitate fast, lowcost and state-of-the-art communications which will allow us to connect and compete internationally. It will help to secure our future economic successes, attract inward investment and create new jobs.

"Ireland is now well established on the world telecoms map and is quickly advancing in terms of ICT, digital and data-intensive industries.

"Project Kelvin will allow us to take advantage of our westerly European location, to connect quickly and more easily with our North American and European counterparts. It is good news for local, as well as the wider economy."

Derek Bullock, Vice President of Network Operations for Hibernia Atlantic stated "the direct, submarine connection between North America and Northern Ireland also guarantees secondary and back-up support, making it a very attractive offering to companies both locally and overseas, who require reliable back-up systems to ensure their critical communications systems are up and running 100% of the time.

"The Project Kelvin initiative will provide further local and global commerce opportunities to Northern Ireland and the Island of Ireland," continues Fergus Innes, Vice President of Sales in Europe of Hibernia Atlantic. "The cable running ashore at Portrush is an exciting benchmark and a further indicator that the Hibernia team and the government are working diligently to deliver real benefits for local and international companies seeking bandwidth and security."

For a map of the Project Kelvin cable build, please visit http://www.hiberniaatlantic.com/images/NIrelandMaps5-09_000.jpg.

To view the newly-installed billboard announcing the Project Kelvin cable build, please visit
http://www.hiberniaatlantic.com/images/ProjectKelvinBilboard.jpg.

For more information on Hibernia Atlantic, please visit www.hiberniaatlantic.com.

;About Hibernia Atlantic:
;Hibernia Atlantic is the largest, privately held, diverse transAtlantic submarine cable transport provider. Hibernia is a US, wholly-owned subsidiary of Columbia Ventures Corporation (CVC). It is a transAtlantic submarine cable and terrestrial cable network that offers over (70) redundant network Points of Presence (PoPs) throughout Canada, US, UK and mainland Europe on over 24,000 kilometers of network. Hibernia provides secure and diverse dedicated Ethernet and optical-level service up to GigE, 10G and LanPhy
wavelengths and traditional Sonet/SDH services. In addition, Hibernia offers wholesale capacity prices, unparalleled support, flexibility and service. For more information on Hibernia Atlantics cutting-edge network please visit www.hiberniaatlantic.com.

For Hibernia Atlantic business inquiries, please contact Melissa Butler at 908-988-1990 or
melissa.butler@hiberniaatlantic.com.

To view Hibernias corporate overview video, please click here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0xVMLEfFrk&eurl=

For Hibernia Atlantic media inquiries, please contact Jaymie Scotto & Associates at
pr@jaymiescotto.com or Jackie Logan at jackie@carltonbaxter.com.

;About Project Kelvin:;
This project is part financed by the European Unions European Regional Development Fund through the INTERREG IVA Cross-border Programme managed by the Special EU Programmes Body.

IDA Ireland and Invest NI launch NorthWestNow promotional programme

Sat, 10 Oct 2020 0:0:0 IST

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IDA Ireland and Invest Northern Ireland today, (Tuesday February 10th 2009) launched the NorthWestNow promotional programme aimed at enhancing the promotion of the North West Business Technology Zone (NWBTZ) and the wider North West Region.

The NorthWestNow promotional programme was launched by Denis Molumby, Executive Director, Corporate and Business Development, IDA Ireland and Ian Murphy, Invest NI Managing Director of Clients and Entrepreneurship, at an event hosted in Derry.

The promotional programme includes a new website http://www.northwestnow.eu and brochure which will be distributed worldwide through the IDA Ireland and Invest NI networks.

The NWBTZ project has created a focused partnership between central and local government, business and academia known as the Wider Stakeholders Committee. This Committee includes senior personnel from the Department for Enterprise, Trade and Investment, the CEOs of Derry City and Donegal County Council, the University of Ulster & North West Regional College in Derry and Letterkenny Institute of Technology, Pramerica Ireland, local Chambers of Commerce, a director of InterTrade Ireland and the former Chairman of Invest NI.

Commenting on the project Denis Molumby said, IDA Ireland and Invest NI have collaborated on the NWBTZ project for a number of years with the aim of building a solid platform from which to increase investment to the North West Business Technology Zone and the greater North West Region.

The joint initiative between the two enterprise agencies, IDA and Invest NI, is characteristic of what can achieved by working together and today we are seeing the result of this work with the launch of the NorthWestNow promotional programme, as a result of which the North West Region will be promoted as a location for investment on a global scale.

Mr Murphy said: "The NWBTZ, substantially funded by the EU Interreg programme, is an extremely significant cross border initiative on which Invest NI and IDA Ireland have been working in active and real partnership since 2003. It has resulted in an ideal infrastructure especially for technology-led business investment.

"Against the current economic background of job losses and closures in the North West, it is important that we are all working to a common goal. This means striving to sustain the businesses we have and doubling our efforts to secure new investment that will deliver a diverse and balanced economy for the future.

"The promotion of the NWBTZ to potential investors is an integral part of the overall project and will be an important tool for both agencies in helping attract future investment to the North West," he added.

Referring to the Inter - Governmental North West Gateway Initiative (NWGI) Mr Denis Molumby Executive Director IDA Ireland said, The range of infrastructural developments currently underway or planned under this initiative would further strengthen the North West Business and Technology Zone and compliment the work successfully completed to date.

He specifically highlighted the highly imaginative ILEX regeneration project currently underway in Derry City and the trans Atlantic Kelvin Communications project - only the second project of its kind on the Island of Ireland, offering a direct link to North America.

Mr. Molumby said, The Kelvin project will provide high speed bandwidth at substantially reduced prices and will remove a significant impediment for inward investment particularly those with an intensive Telco requirements.

Combining the Kelvin project with the planned motorway links between Letterkenny/Derry and Dublin and Belfast will remove the perception of the North West as a remote location and position the entire North West as a smart economy of the future, maintained Mr Molumby

The NWBTZ includes:

High spec property solutions in both Derry and Letterkenny,

Improved cross border broadband telecoms and IT linkages

Education and Training programmes designed to meet the skills needs of existing and potential ICT and financial services investors.

The Interreg IIIA programme provided Euro10 million on a 60:40 split between North and South. This funding levered additional money from the public and private sectors resulting in a total investment of over 30m/Euro35.

Specific projects within NWBTZ already supported include:-

The North West Business Complex and Entrepreneurial Hub - 53,000 sq ft of high spec flexible workspace at Skeoge Enterprise Park.

Timber Quay - a 10 million speculative building project in the City which provides 57,000 sq ft of open plan flexible workspace and is now the site for the Fujitsu Services FDI project which will provide over 300 high- quality, IT jobs in the City.

C-TRIC (formerly ABC) at Altnagelvin Hospital - a 2 million facility providing 9400 sq ft of research laboratories and business workspace provision.

North West Labour Market Initiative - to meet the skills needs of existing and potential ICT and financial services investors and incorporating an MSc in Computing for Financial Services at the University of Ulster and training/courses in software engineering and ICT at North West Regional College.

The IDA Ireland Letterkenny Business and Technology Park - comprising three fully serviced parks, landscaped to a high standard, with a total of c.100 acres is linked by the Letterkenny Outer Relief Road and the Metropolitan Area Network. The Park currently has two office and two advanced technology buildings, provided by the private sector, available for new inward investment as well as a range of medium to large serviced sites. Expansions by existing IDA Ireland clients notably United Health Group and Pramerica Systems Ireland combined with new start up projects notably ZEUS Industrial Products has resulted in c. 600 new jobs being created on the Park since 2003.

For information:

;IDA IRELAND:; Trevor Holmes, Head of Communications, 01-6034023/ 0872425560

€30 million Project Kelvin will bring cheaper and faster broadband

Sat, 10 Oct 2020 0:0:0 IST

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Communications Minister Eamon Ryan today announced the awarding of a Euro30 million contract to construct a new direct telecommunications link to North America.

Project Kelvin is a cross-border venture in partnership with the Northern Ireland Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment and co-financed by Interreg funding from the European Union. Following a competitive tendering process, the international communications contract has been awarded to Hibernia Atlantic Ltd.

The project will involve the construction of an optic fibre submarine telecommunications cable which will be brought ashore in Co. Derry. Further links will ensure Letterkenny and Monaghan as well as Castleblayney, Drogheda and Dundalk have direct international connectivity. Communications between Ireland and North America will be routed directly without having to use external networks e.g. through London. Amongst the benefits will be faster response times at lower cost for high capacity broadband.

Commenting on the project, Minister Eamon Ryan said, ";Our economic fortunes will depend on our ability to connect and to compete internationally.;

;Project Kelvin will provide faster broadband at lower costs. This alone will assist Ireland and Northern Ireland in attracting foreign investment. ;

;This project will complement our outward connections already in place making our international telecoms infrastructure more resilient. Information will be swiftly, cheaply and reliably transferred. ;

;For the areas directly involved, the benefits will be manifold. With international connectivity, Letterkenny, Monaghan and their surrounding areas will be attractive bases for businesses. Companies can set up in this region confident that they can operate successfully in the global market.;

;Prices for connection will be benchmarked against other international telecoms hubs, such as Amsterdam and London. Project Kelvin will make Ireland, and particularly the North-West and Monaghan areas, a cost-effective base for international business;. "

Minister Ryan announces telecoms connectivity project to connect Ireland US and Europe

Sat, 10 Oct 2020 0:0:0 IST

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;Project Kelvin, in partnership with Northern Ireland, will further enhance Irelands growth as a competitive, digital economy. ;

Dublin, 21st July 2008

Communications Minister Eamon Ryan, T.D., today announced that his Department, in collaboration with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment, Northern Ireland, has finalised the tender for Project Kelvin which will procure direct international telecommunications connectivity to the North West of the island of Ireland. With an estimated cost of Euro30 million in Interreg Cross Border funding, the project will provide international connectivity between the island of Ireland and North America, as well as between mainland Europe and the North West of Ireland.

As part of the project , it is proposed that a telehouse facility will be constructed in Derry, directly linking to the areas of Letterkenny and Monaghan, which will in turn provide overall national connectivity to the facility.

Minister Ryan, announcing the Project, stated: I am delighted that this procurement process is about to commence. We must enhance Irelands position in the global digital economy and this project will be necessary to guarantee our competitiveness. In 2025, 70% of Irelands exports will consist of digitally traded services.

It is crucial that we act now to ensure we have the interconnectivity to allow us take advantage of the opportunities that are emerging. Enhancing our international connectivity is one of the elements of the recently announced Next Generation Broadband paper.

Irish industry is already internationally renowned, but this Project will allow our companies to advance and to be real players an international stage. Project Kelvin will not only encourage investment in our economy, but it will also strengthen our international position.

Notes for Editors:
The recently published consultation paper on Next Generation Broadband contained the following ten Government commitments:

Government will target capital investment of Euro435m to address the digital divide

Universal broadband coverage in Ireland by late 2009 / early 2010

100 Mbits per second broadband connectivity to be introduced to secondary schools on a phased basis

Future investment will be determined in accordance with value for money review of the Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs)

Ensure Irelands continued high level of international connectivity

Major public infrastructure projects will have to install ducting at the construction phase. Government will establish a one stop shop to provide service providers with flexible and open access to existing and future ducting infrastructure

New premises will be required to install open access fibre connections where practicable

Maintenance of the regulatory framework necessary for fair and transparent competition across a range of platforms. Allocation of spectrum to encourage trialling and development of flexible new mobile technologies

Use of Government purchasing power in order to stimulate demand, create economies of scale and better public services

Establishment of a specialised research programme to monitor developments

DETI and DCENR are the joint partners for Project Kelvin and DETI will oversee the project on behalf of both Departments. The project aims to increase competition in the telecommunications market in the North-South Cross Border INTERREG area and reduce the cost of telecommunications between North American and European telecommunications hubs and the North West. Project Kelvin will increase the resilience of the telecommunication networks in the INTERREG region and the island of Ireland and will reduce communications latency on telecommunications between the North West of Ireland, North America and Mainland Europe The project will be implemented over the years 2009-2011 and is being procured by the Open Procedure in compliance with EU Directives. A Contract Notice inviting Tenders for the present competition for the Provision of International Telecommunications Services (Project Kelvin) has been dispatched to the Official Journal of the European Union.

DETI and the DCENR are supported in this work by a grant from the EU INTERREG IVA Programme for Ireland, Northern Ireland and Western Scotland 2007-2013.

£120 Million Investment Will Make Seagate's Derry Plant Global Technology Leader

Sat, 10 Oct 2020 0:0:0 IST

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July 3, 2008-Seagate Technology (NYSE:STX) has announced a 120 million investment in its Springtown, Londonderry, plant, which will make it the global technology leader in the production of read-write heads for hard disc drives. The investment, which is expected to be completed in 2010, will go into new equipment, research and development, infrastructure and IT systems that will enable the factory to retain its position as the lowest cost and biggest producer of read-write heads in the world.

This investment will allow our Springtown factory to remain at the forefront of the technology and efficiency battle that is waged in the disc drive industry, explained John Spangler, vice president at Springtown. This will allow our Springtown facility to continue supporting Seagates market-leading position in the ever-expanding hard disc drive market. Springtown is already one of the leading producers of read-write heads in the world and is the primary supplier of heads for Seagate; this is a position that will be enhanced by this new investment.

The success of this factory since it started production in 1994 and the continued success we see for it into the future are evidence of Northern Irelands capacity to compete in the global marketplace. Northern Ireland has all of the right ingredients, including a business-friendly environment, a wealth of talent from a well educated, flexible and committed workforce, and an understanding of the importance of the knowledge-based sector for future economic development, said Mr Spangler. These are messages I was happy to bring to the US-NI Investment Conference held in Belfast in May.

Seagate is the worlds largest manufacturer of hard disc drives and recently passed the milestone of being the first company to have shipped one billion disc drives. It took Seagate 29 years to ship its first billion drives but we expect to ship our second billion within the next five years, said Mr Spangler. There is a massive amount of digital content being created in the home, in the office and in many other markets today and most of this content is stored on hard drives. This proliferation of digital content will continue to fuel hard drive demand into the future.

Last year the hard disc drive industry shipped over 500 million units compared to 1990 when less than 30 million were shipped. Seagate alone shipped just over 175 million drives.

Seagate is the worldwide leader in the design, manufacture and marketing of hard disc drives and storage solutions, providing products for a wide-range of applications, including Enterprise, Desktop, Mobile Computing, and Consumer Solutions. Seagates business model leverages technology leadership and world-class manufacturing to deliver industry-leading innovation and quality to its global customers, with the goal of being the time-to-market leader in all markets in which it participates. The company is committed to providing award-winning products, customer support and reliability to meet the worlds growing demand for information storage. Seagate can be found around the globe and at http://www.seagate.com. Seagate, Seagate Technology and the Wave logo are registered trademarks of Seagate Technology LLC in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks or registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Fujitsu's £8.8 million investment will create 150 new jobs

Sat, 10 Oct 2020 0:0:0 IST

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Economy Minister, Nigel Dodds today announced an 8.8million investment by Fujitsu Services, creating 150 jobs, in Belfast and Londonderry.

Of the 150 jobs created 120 of the jobs will be located in Londonderry with the remaining 30 located in Belfast. This investment is Fujitsu Services third in the past 18 months, bringing their total employment locally to over 900.

Announcing the investment the Minister said: Im pleased that a global brand of Fujitsus standing has decided to reinvest further in Northern Ireland. The company considered several locations for this new centre of excellence but chose Northern Ireland because of the positive impact their existing operation here has on the companys global competitiveness.

They have attributed their success to our advanced telecommunications infrastructure, the highly qualified workforce, cost competitive location and the support offered by Invest NI.

The Minister continued: Northern Ireland has developed a reputation as an excellent location for inward investors looking to expand into Europe. As a result of this reputation we have attracted a string of blue-chip companies in recent years. The success of the recent US-NI Investment Conference highlights the genuine interest overseas investors have in taking advantage of the business opportunities on offer in Northern Ireland.

Fujitsu is one of the worlds largest independent providers of the Oracle eBusiness Suite services and has been experiencing rapid growth.

With over 2.2million of support from Invest Northern Ireland, the company will establish an Applications Services Centre of Excellence for the company, reinforcing its Northern Ireland operation as a key component of its European network. The company has a strong focus on staff development and Invest NIs support for the project includes an element of support for training.

The Minister concluded: This investment, which will contribute 4million per annum in salaries to the economy, is a major boost for the north-west in particular as 120 of the jobs will be based at Fujitsus Londonderry operation at Timber Quay.

Mike Crow, head of application services (Northern Ireland), Fujitsu Services, said: This investment reflects Fujitsus confidence in its Northern Ireland operations and in the regions ability to deliver the skills and the work ethic that has made our experience here so positive.

This new centre of excellence will play an important role in rolling out our strategy of developing innovative delivery channels based on a global delivery model.

Pramerica Systems Ireland Further Expands in Letterkenny

Sat, 10 Oct 2020 0:0:0 IST

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Minister for Agriculture and Food, Mary Coughlan TD today (Friday 27th April 2007) announced that ;Pramerica Systems Ireland Ltd;. will expand its services centre in Letterkenny, Co. Donegal. The expansion, supported by IDA Ireland, is expected to create 70 software development and testing, operations, call centre and financial services specialists new positions with added capacity to recruit an additional 80 personnel.

Pramerica Systems Ireland is a software development and customer services subsidiary of Prudential Financial, Inc. (PFI). Established in Letterkenny in 2000, the company employs 550 people who provide cost-effective, skilled and knowledgeable software development and operations services. With the expansion, Pramerica will continue to deliver high quality, IT project management, business and systems analysis, software development & quality assurance testing, call centre and transaction processing services to all of Prudentials business groups.

Minister Coughlan making the announcement said This investment is excellent news for Letterkenny and the whole North-West region. We are delighted to see Pramerica thriving in Donegal. It has continued to develop and expand its business since it arrived here in 2000. Todays announcement further demonstrates that the North West Region is an ideal location for high-end financial services support operations.

Henry McGarvey, Managing Director at Pramerica added The decision to expand our business activities in Letterkenny was based on the high level of our performance since our launch in 2000. And that success is due to the high calibre of our employees skill-sets. We have been extremely pleased with the talent, competence and professionalism of the people we employ in Letterkenny and the pool of prospective employees that exists in the North-West.

Speaking at the press conference today, Mr McGarvey said that Pramerica has received outstanding support from FAS in Letterkenny, and the Letterkenny Institute of Technology, the North West Institute of Further and Higher Education and Magee University in Derry. These institutions have taught its students the skills that Pramerica requires now and will need in the future. Their role has been critical to our success, said McGarvey.

John Fox, vice president, Information Systems at PFI, said Pramerica has helped our business partners across PFI meet their business objectives. The capabilities and commitment of our staff in Ireland, in tandem with the support that we receive from the IDA, the educational institutions and FAS, were all key factors in our decision to expand the Pramerica facility. We look forward to continued success in Ireland working with our partners in the North-West. We are proud to be a member of the Donegal community.

Notes to Editors
Pramerica Financial is a tradename used by Prudential Financial, Inc., a company incorporated and with its principal place of business in the United States, and its affiliates in select countries outside the United States. Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE: PRU), a financial services leader with approximately $616 billion of assets under management as of December 31, 2006, has operations in the United States, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. Leveraging its heritage of life insurance and asset management expertise, Prudential Financial is focused on helping individual and institutional customers grow and protect their wealth. The companys well-known Rock symbol is an icon of strength, stability, expertise and innovation that has stood the test of time. Prudential Financials businesses offer a variety of products and services, including life insurance, annuities, retirement-related services, mutual funds, asset management, and real estate services. For more information, please visit www.prudential.com or www.pramerica.ie. Prudential Financial is not affiliated in any manner with Prudential plc, a company incorporated in the United Kingdom.

Contacts:

Pramerica Systems Ireland, Karen Oliver Howell, +1 973 802-8533 karen.howell@prudential.com

Department of Agricultur and Food Michael Shovlin Tel: 086 835 1935 michael.shovlin@agricultur.gov.ie

IDA Ireland - Ruth Croke, Press & PR Manager. Tel: 087 4195051 ruth.croke@ida.ie

North-West Business and Technology Zone - further progress in its development

Sat, 10 Oct 2020 0:0:0 IST

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Minister for Agriculture and Food, Mary Coughlan T.D., representing the Irish Government, today (Monday 13th November 2006) attended the official opening of Invest Northern Irelands new Timber Quay Office Development in Derry City, which is an integral part of the North-West Business & Technology Zone.

The North-West Business & Technology Zone incorporates business parks in Letterkenny and Derry City and is a joint development between IDA Ireland and Invest Northern Ireland, working together to market the area for inward investment.

The Zone was approved funding in 2004 of Euro10 million under the EU Interreg IIIA Programme for Ireland and Northern Ireland (2000 2006). Its concept of continued economic development between Letterkenny and Derry City is consistent with the National and Regional Strategies of both Governments.

Minister Coughlan said The rationale of the North-West Business & Technology Zone is the creation of a business zone with sufficient critical mass to allow the North-West Cross Border region to compete, more favourably, for inward investment. It will harness the synergetic effects of linking the populations, the graduate pools, the educational and research institutions, the business clusters and a wide variety of property solutions of Letterkenny and Derry City, within a high specification telecommunications network. It will benefit from a combined population of 346,000 people - making it the fourth largest urban conurbation on the island of Ireland.

The objective of the North-West Business & Technology Zone is the development of an excellent environment for the creation of self-sustaining clusters of technology-oriented activity interacting with third-level educational and research institutions locally and internationally. The technology-oriented activities which are being targeted are in sectors such as ICT, medical technology, biopharma/pharmaceutical, international and financial services and creative industries.

In achieving this objective a number of the elements are already substantially in place. These include:

The provision of property solutions in Letterkenny and Derry City which match current best practice worldwide in design and which offer an excellent working environment.

The provision of a resilient telecommunications network, which will assist in overcoming the perception of the Zone being physically remote.

Notes to Editor.
The North West Business & Technology Zone

IDA Irelands involvement in the Zone is the provision of c.44-hectares of state-of-the-art Business and Technology Park in Letterkenny. Invest Northern Ireland in addition to this Timber Quay Development which is being officially opened today is providing an enterprise centre at the Skeoge Industrial Park in Derry.

Invest Northern Ireland

Invest Northern Ireland works with individuals, companies and organisations in manufacturing and tradable services which show the ambition and commitment to grow by being more innovative, more entrepreneurial and more internationally focused.

Invest NIs resources are focused on assisting our clients to improve competitiveness, increase innovation, promote a stronger international focus and create more positive attitudes to enterprise. Invest NIs full range of support and services is delivered through local offices in Belfast, Coleraine, Ballymena, Craigavon, Londonderry, Newry, Enniskillen and Omagh, and an international office network.

For further information:

Re IDA Ireland involvement: Mr. Joe McHugh, Manager, Donegal/North-West Region, IDA Ireland, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal. Tel: 074 9169810 or Mob: 087 2477404