Online payment service PayPal has confirmed it will create 1,000 jobs over the next four years at its new European Operations Centre in Dundalk, Co Louth.
The new operations will open in July 2012. The Dundalk centre and PayPal’s current Blanchardstown site will be responsible for customer services, risk prevention, financial operations, merchant services and sales across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
PayPal is looking to fill roles across a range of fields, such as customer support, operations, finance, sales and compliance. The new jobs have been created in conjunction with IDA Ireland.
“This is a great day for PayPal Ireland and is truly a testament to the proven track record of our existing operation in Ireland,” said Louise Phelan, vice-president of global operations for PayPal in EMEA.
“I am very proud to support Irish job creation and look forward to working with our new teammates in Dundalk. IDA Ireland has been a close partner of PayPal’s since we established our first location in 2003, and I look forward to continuing to work closely with IDA in the coming years.
“Our new employees will be joining PayPal at an exciting time. Our vision is to help people pay for things anytime, anywhere and on any type of electronic device.
“We’re re-imagining money to work better for consumers and businesses at a time when the line between the online world and the high street is breaking down. Our new teammates in Dundalk and Dublin will help us create the future of money,” she said.
PayPal has already created 550 jobs in Dublin since 2009. It employs more than 1,500 at its Blanchardstown site, growing from just 25 in 2003. Taoiseach Enda Kenny attended the event to announce the new jobs.
“Today’s announcement by PayPal of 1,000 new jobs is great news for Ireland and for the northeast,” said Kenny.
“This is a great signal of confidence in Ireland and in our talented workforce. It is a clear recognition of the opportunities that Ireland offers global leaders like PayPal.
“Our Action Plan for Jobs published last week will help to ensure that this is just the first of many similar announcements over the coming year,” he said.
IDA Ireland CEO Barry O’Leary emphasised that employment-intensive investments are a key part of the IDA’s Horizon 2020 strategy.
“This announcement by PayPal capitalises on the growth of services globally. The investment demonstrates that Ireland’s Gateway locations provide the key skills and business infrastructure required by global leaders, such as PayPal,” said O’Leary.
“It is a clear endorsement of Ireland’s attractiveness to multinational investors and will have a significant impact in the wider northeast region,” he said.
