MORE than 1,000 new jobs will be promised in 14 new industrial projects to be announced today.
The announcement will spell further good news for the Government, which has been under sustained Opposition attack for its handling of unemployment.
The majority of the jobs to be announced by the Enterprise and Employment Minister, Mr Richard Bruton, are being created by firms based in Dublin which are expanding operations and will be grant aided by IDA Ireland. They are based in the software, services and healthcare sectors.
The announcement follows news last week that Gateway 2000, the US computer company, is to create 1,200 jobs in north Dublin over the next three years as part of a £25 million investment programme.
The largest project to be announced today is an expansion by Quintiles, a company which processes data associated with clinical pharmaceutical trials. The latest expansion will create 180 jobs, bringing the number of staff in Ireland to 280.
Kindle Banking Systems is to create 100 jobs by establishing a software help desk service in Dublin's East Point Business Park near Dublin docks. Kindle was recently acquired by Misys, the UK based computer solutions group.
IBM, which employs more than 300 people in its various operations in Ireland, is to set up a pan European support centre for network services and communications in Dublin. The project will create an additional 46 jobs.