The announcement that US digital technology firm DTS are locating their European Headquarters in Limerick’s National Technology Park, creating up to 50 high-quality positions, has highlighted new analysis which highlights the huge impact that the Government’s fibre optic MAN’s (Metropolitan Area Networks) are having on foreign direct investment.
Conal Henry, CEO of e|net, who manage the state-owned MAN’s, commented, “There is no doubt that MAN-enabled towns are getting significant competitive advantage in terms of IDA job creation. The 27 MAN-enabled towns have increased their share of IDA inward investment from 24% in 2004 to over 70% in 2007 and 2008. Simply put, these towns are now habitually getting the vast majority of new FDI.”
“While the MAN’s don’t create jobs on their own – we see them as removing a key barrier to those who would wish to invest in regional Ireland. Other research undertaken by e|net last year revealed that 32,000 private sector jobs rely directly on the MAN’s for communications.”
This decision by DTS to locate in Limerick will create up to 50 new positions over the coming years, across a variety of disciplines, including licensing, management, administration, business development, marketing, sales, finance and potentially research and development. Recruitment has commenced and ten positions have already been filled.
Speaking on the DTS decision to invest in Limerick, Minister for Defense, Willie O’Dea, said, “This investment by DTS, a globally recognised and leading international technology company, is a significant win for Ireland. Ireland faced stiff competition from a number of European locations for this investment, and it is encouraging to see that we hold our position as a premier location for such a critical investment by a global company.”
The Minister went on to comment about the possibility of using this as a reference for further inward investments, “The DTS HQ will be an important reference for IDA Ireland in its work to attract future higher technology companies to locate investments here.”
DTS first shot to fame when it introduced its revolutionary audio technology with the release of the film “Jurassic Park” in 1993. In addition to delivering an advanced entertainment experience, the company’s products are used in a vast number of consumer electronics products worldwide.