Cork city welcomes ‘real vote of confidence’ by Apple

A shopkeeper and former councillor in Gurranebraher, near Hollyhill in Cork city, yesterday praised Cork City Council for relocating a Traveller halting site in the area and thus creating space for the expansion of Apple.

Con O’Leary said the council had shown great foresight on the matter, which saw a halting site located across the road from the Hollyhill campus move to a new purpose-built facility earlier this year, thus paving the way for the development flagged yesterday.

Mr O’Leary said the Apple expansion would have a knock-on effect for shops and business, not just in the Hollyhill area but across the entire city and surrounding towns and villages.

News of Apple’s growth was generally welcomed by both business and political leaders in Cork city.

Vote of confidence

Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr Chris O’Leary said the additional jobs, which will bring the company’s workforce in Cork to 5,000, was a real vote of confidence by the US multinational in its operation in the northside suburb and it augured well for the company’s future in Cork.

Cork Chamber president Barrie O’Connell said it was a huge boost to Cork, not just in terms of the direct jobs but also in the spin-off jobs, as well as opening up the possibility of other multinationals starting to look at Cork as a possible place to invest and locate.

Huge statement

“It’s a huge statement for Cork and Ireland but other people globally, I think are saying ‘where should we locate?’ and why wouldn’t you pick Cork and Ireland when you see a company like Apple doing so,” he said.

Chief executive of Cork City Council Ann Doherty said the announcement proved again that Cork city is a premier location for investment and it had both the infrastructure and the workforce required by global multinationals. "Today is a positive day for Cork city. This investment by Apple is the result of strong relationships and co-operation between Cork City Council, local and state agencies, staff and management in Apple locally and in its headquarters in our twinned city of San Francisco."

Meanwhile Senator Colm Burke, a former councillor for the area, also welcomed the news and pointed out that apart from the direct jobs coming on stream in 2017, the expansion would also lead to immediate employment in the construction sector.