BY DECLAN VARLEY
Almost 160 jobs are to be created in Hewlett-Packard Galway in a research, development and innovation project which this week received over €5.5million in Government funding.
The funding is provided to support ambitious companies create new products and services and will also result in at least €1million in additional procurement opportunities for the region.
Chief Whip and Galway TD, Hildegarde Naughton, revealed yesterday that Cabinet has approved grand aid of €5,515,224 million for Hewlett Packard - Galway.
The funding is for Research, Development and Innovation with the overall project expenditure expected to reach very significant multiples of that.
“This decision yesterday will result in an expected intake of 156 well paid R&D positions in Galway and approximately €1 million in additional procurement of Irish based materials and services,” Minister Naughton said.
“The RD&I Grant Aid is designed to support extremely large and technically ambitious projects and there is no doubt that Hewlett Packard, with over a 50-year presence in Ireland, fits that bill.
"The level of funding is dependent on an independent technical assessment and assessment of the strategic and commercial importance of the project,” the Minister said.
“We recently have had a number of tech industry job announcements in Galway, including 100 jobs in Liberty IT only last Friday. Additionally, last year Accenture’s Ireland Talent Tacker confirmed Galway as one of Ireland’s fastest growing technology hubs in Ireland,” the Galway Minister noted.
“We have an incredible talent pool in Galway - creative, agile, and curious. Companies here have the opportunity to work directly with two excellent third level institutions in the form of the University of Galway and the Atlantic Technological University and our graduates are second to none.
"All this combined makes Galway a hugely attractive place for companies to invest and I am very pleased to be able to announce Government’s latest contribution to the further success of our city" she concluded.
