THE US computer giant Hewlett-Packard will recruit an additional 800 people in an expansion of its plant in Leixlip, Co Kildare. The multi million pound investment will bring the number of jobs at the plant to almost 2,000, when fully operational.
Today's announcement will bring to more than 8,000 the number of new jobs created by overseas companies this year.
Hewlett Packard and the Minister for Enterprise and Employment, Mr Richard Bruton, will announce the investment at a function in Dublin today.
Hewlett Packard's spokesman could not be contacted for comment, while IDA Ireland would only say that a major new investment" would be announced today.
A spokesman for Mr Bruton also declined to comment.
Hewlett Packard, which announced last year it would be creating over 1,000 jobs in Leixlip, will be expanding this plant. which will manufacture ink jet cartridges. The additional facility announced today will be over 300,000 square feet.
The 300 staff already employed at the company's temporary premises in Blanchardstown will be moving to the new Leixlip plant in the autumn.
The announcement comes just days after Hewlett Packard's share price plummeted 11 per cent in one day, following a warning that its quarterly results would be worse than expected.
It also confirms Ireland's status as the centre for high tech investment in Europe. The computer/ electronics sector now employs over 34,000 people.
The announcement comes just weeks after IBM confirmed it would be creating 750 jobs in a new customer support centre in Dublin.
Oracle, another major firm in the high tech sector, has said it will employ 400 people at a telemarketing centre near the East Wall in Dublin. Internet service provider, AOL Bertlesmann, will create 500 jobs at its European customer support centre, beside the Oracle site.