One of the IDA’s highest profile investment announcements of the last 12 months became a reality today when the Tánaiste Mary Harney TD officially opened the Blanchardstown offices of online auction powerhouse eBay and its secure internet payment subsidiary PayPal.
The Ebay/PayPal venture is projected to employ 800 people by 2005 in Blanchardstown, where eBay is establishing its European customer support centre and PayPal its international headquarters. More than 200 people have been recruited already and many more positions to be filled over the coming months.
Meg Whitman, president and CEO of eBay Inc was in Blanchardstown for the event.
In September 2003, eBay/PayPal announced that it had selected Dublin as its location for investment in Europe, with the support of IDA Ireland. The customer support centre in Blanchardstown is eBay’s second in Europe and supports users in the UK, Ireland and other European countries. PayPal’s international headquarters there will support the company’s expansion into Europe and carries out functions such as customer services, payment processing and fraud prevention.
Speaking at the official opening the Tánaiste said: “EBay/PayPal’s presence in Ireland is strongly welcomed. Having such a world-leading internet company located here confirms our position as one of the leading locations in Europe for the digital business sector.”
Referring to the decisions of two internet powerhouses, Google and Overture, to choose Ireland as their European base, Harney added: “Three of the world’s highest profile internet companies have a presence in Ireland and they are finding that the skills and knowledge that they require to operate successfully are here. Indeed eBay/PayPal chose Dublin precisely because it has a good supply of people with skills and experience in the technical and financial services industries and because of its excellent business and technology infrastructure. The company is also providing many of our young people with the welcome opportunity to work in a major multinational corporation offering excellent employment in a modern and progressive environment. Their presence here is testament to the fact that Ireland is attracting a new type of investment.”
By Brian Skelly
