Gap, the US mass market fashion chain, is planning a foray into the Irish market with a big concession outlet in Arnotts, the Dublin department store. The move follows Debenhams' acquisition this week of nine Roches Stores shops, one of them directly opposite Arnotts' iconic store on Henry Street.

Gap has placed recruitment advertisements to staff the outlet, which will open some time in the autumn ahead of the all-important Christmas shopping season.

In anticipation of its arrival, the chain incorporated an Irish subsidiary last June.

Its move confirms the dominance of Henry Street in Dublin's retail scene. In recent years, that street has largely stolen the march on Grafton Street as the entry location for some the biggest international fashion brands.

Famous for "smart casual" denim and khaki clothing, Gap has so far failed to take advantage of the sustained boom in Irish retailing. A small range of its branded products are already available in Arnotts, but these are acquired directly from the chain and sold by Arnotts own staff.

Gap's staff will sell the stock in the concession space, which is likely to be considerable.

In line with other prominent Arnotts concessionaries such as River Island, Gap is likely to occupy window space at the front of Arnotts store on Henry Street while taking floor space in the basement of the store.

A Gap spokeswoman would not say whether the chain planned further store openings. "We are opening a store in Dublin. That's all I can confirm."

But with Gap under pressure to turn around a two-year slump in sales after an unsuccessful foray into higher-fashion lines, the chain may yet use this outlet as a step into the market here before opening more stores.

The rapidly-expanding Spanish chain Zara employed a similar strategy when it entered the Irish market with the opening of a big concession in the revamped Roches Stores outlet on Henry Street in November 2003. That brand have since opened numerous other stores.

In Gap's home market, where it has 3,000 outlets, the chain has embarked on an effort to emulate European "fast fashion" brands such as Zara, which can bring new lines to market within 14 days.

Its concentration on basic products such as denim, T-shirts, trousers, skirts and active-wear reverses an earlier strategy of developing dressier lines with advertisements featuring the actress Sarah Jessica Parker, of Sex and the City fame.