Go-ahead for €10m centre in Limerick’s National Technology Park

PLANNERS have cleared the way for a €10m IDA investment in Plassey, which will see up to 100 high-tech jobs created.

As exclusively revealed by the Limerick Leader, the job creation agency is planning to construct a multi-storey ‘advanced manufacturing facility’ in the National Technology Park.

Permission has now been granted for the project, which will see 60 construction workers building a two-storey complex featuring facilities to look at the future of manufacturing, plus research and development.

Business sources have confirmed in the region of 100 positions will be created, with the capture of the centre being hailed as a “great prize” for the city, which has beat a number of other Irish locations to the centre.

Labour TD Jan O’Sullivan said: “It’s very welcome news. We have a high level of people coming out of our third level institutions. We still have a good number of people in the region to take these jobs. It adds to the clustering of jobs in the Mid-West area, particularly around Limerick.”

“One of the attractions of the region is that it’s a bit cheaper to make a home in Limerick than it is the Dublin area, which is beginning to be a problem. I think it’s a good sign, and something we need to build on,” he said.​

IDA Ireland chief executive Martin Shanahan has previously said the 3,009 square metre facility will service the entire Irish-based manufacturing sector, and these companies global clients.

“Manufacturing is a significant contributor to the Irish economy, directly employing 251,100 [people] and accounting for 32.1% of gross domestic product, a figure which is significantly higher than our European counterparts,” he said.

It’s understood the jobs will start small in number but will steadily grow towards its target by 2023.

Council gave the development the go-ahead subject to a number of conditions, including a stipulation building work cannot take place outside of 8am and 8pm weekdays plus 8am and 4pm on Saturdays.