Car firm to create 50 Dublin jobs

Dublin is to get 50 new jobs over the next 18 months with the opening of a new Volkswagen dealership in the area.

The jobs are being created by Frank Keane Holdings, which has opened the dealership at its new premises on Dublin’s Long Mile Road as part of a €2.5 million investment in conjunction with Volkswagen Bank.

The motor group also operates BMW dealerships in Blackrock and on the Naas Road, and has been involved in the motor industry for over 40 years.

The new Volkswagen dealership, which opened its doors this week, will sell both cars and commercial vehicles, have an indoor commercial vehicle showroom, and offer service facilities.

The investment comes at a time when the motor sector has seen significant contraction. Sales of new cars have collapsed since the end of the scrappage scheme in June, and the latest figures from the Central Statistics Office showed the number of new cars registered in November fell by 34.9 per cent when compared with the same month last year.

The motor industry is also facing further uncertainty with the change in motor tax introduced in the Budget, and the proposed 2 per cent hike in VAT that is due to be implemented at the start of next year.

The Society of the Irish Motor Industry has called on the Government to delay the increase in VAT until after the peak sales period, the first quarter of the year.