Some 250 jobs will be created over four years by the electronics group Siemens, which has decided to designate its subsidiary in the Republic, SSE Ltd, as a global centre of competence for secure e-business.
The plan will lead to the immediate recruitment of 50 staff at its centre in Dublin. However, it is still unclear where an additional 200 staff will be located. This is currently under discussion with IDA Ireland. The move is part of Siemens' new international strategy and will see SSE become a provider of state-of-the-art information security solutions. These include email, Internet, intranet/extranet, trust centre, attribute certification, electronic data interchange and digitally signed documents.
The group will also extend its product range to develop and provide future-oriented, innovative technologies including biometrics (finger print recognition), smart cards and wireless internet technologies (WAP) and will target markets in telecommunications, government, healthcare, finance/ banking and industry.
"The decision to locate the global centre of competence in SSE was based on quality of both people and our products, underpinned by the advanced e-business environment in Ireland promoted by the IDA," said Mr Richard Crowe, managing director of Siemens Limited.
The Tanaiste, Ms Harney said the investment further demonstrated Ireland's important role in providing leading edge solutions and that the State was becoming a significant centre for knowledge-based activities in Europe. A spokesman for the IDA described it as a "major breakthrough" in its new strategy of pursuing high-level activity in the value chain and promoting the Republic as an e-business hub.
Siemens employs more than 700 people in Ireland at offices in Dublin, Cork and Belfast and support centres at 17 locations.
