By Business & Finance 
The Taoiseach, the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation and IDA Ireland welcome today’s significant announcement that Apple will be expanding its campus in Hollyhill, Co. Cork and adding a new building that will provide new office space and room for 1,000 additional employees by mid-2017.
Apple has had a presence in Ireland since 1980, when the company opened its first facility in Cork. The tech giant supports nearly 18,000 jobs across the country, including over 5,000 direct Apple employees – an increase of 25% in the past year.
Apple has also announced that it is partnering with the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland to support research in offshore energy technology and is establishing a €1m Ocean Energy Industry Fund. This will support innovative new ways of capturing wave energy and converting it to renewable electricity in support of their global commitment to powering all facilities with renewable energy.
An Taoiseach Enda Kenny TD said: “The Government’s priority is to keep the recovery going by creating a positive environment for investment and jobs. Apple’s plans for new facilities at their Cork campus that can house a further 1,000 jobs is a very welcome boost of confidence in Cork and the South West region. It is also a welcome sign of broadening regional recovery. These new jobs come on top of 1,000 additional jobs already created at Apple in the past 12 months, which brought the workforce in Ireland to over 5,000 in 2015. This continued expansion by the company is testament to the quality of the talent pool, the infrastructure and the business environment that this country has to offer and further cements Apple as one of the leading employers in Ireland.”
Tánaiste Joan Burton TD added: “This is a profound statement of confidence in Ireland’s economic recovery, and a profound statement of belief in the talent and creativity of the Irish workforce. Apple has a huge role to play in Cork’s future and Ireland’s future, and its welcome decision to expand the facilities at its Cork campus with a view to creating 1,000 additional jobs by 2017 will, in turn, be another important step in reaching our target of full employment by 2018.”
Martin Shanahan, CEO of IDA Ireland said: “For any company to be located at the same campus for over 30 years is a remarkable thing – that Apple continues to expand at this rate in 2015 is truly exceptional. Today’s news follows an announcement by Apple in February of this year where they revealed plans to put an €850 million data centre in Athenry.”
