Century Homes, Ireland's largest timber-frame building manufacturer, is to create 250 new jobs for Tullamore, Monaghan, Longford and Dungarvan. The Tánaiste, Ms Harney, and Minister of State, Mr Tom Parlon, will announce the creation of the jobs at a special conference in Tullamore today.
The jobs come after months of negotiation between Mr Parlon and the chief executive of Century Homes, Mr Gerry McCauhey.
The expansion of the company is being grant-aided by Enterprise Ireland.
Some 120 workers will be employed in a new shared-service facility in Tullamore, Co Offaly.
Another 50 jobs will be created in Monaghan town, bringing the workforce at Century Homes' headquarters to 230. The workforce in Longford will double from 40 to 80, and the workforce at the Dungarvan plant will also double from 40 to 80.
The good news comes to Tullamore following a series of job losses there in recent years. Mr Paschal Naughton, spokesman for the Tullamore Chamber of Commerce, told the Tullamore Tribune the chamber would continue to ensure that its focus remained on obtaining value-added jobs for Tullamore.
Century homes was established 40 years ago, and began manufacturing in Monaghan town in 1990, with its main manufacturing facility in Longford town. Following a recent acquisition, Century Homes also employs 60 people in the UK between manufacturing in Cardiff and a sales and engineering office in London.
A software support company of one of the world's largest employers yesterday told its workforce in Navan, Co Meath, it will be closing down with the loss of all 56 jobs by November 1st.
CNH (Case New Holland), formerly the Case Corporation, is one of the world's largest tractor manufacturers and its software support has been based at CNH Information Technology Centre in Navan Business Park.
Yesterday, staff was told that as part of a global restructuring cutbacks totalling $800 million were taking place.
Sources last night said the company would no longer source its software support in-house.