Ryanair plans to create 200 new Irish jobs

Taoiseach, Enda Kenny at Ryanair's new Dublin campus

IRELAND:  Taoiseach, Enda Kenny and Michael Noonan were on board today to announce 200 new, Irish jobs during the opening of Ryanair's new Dublin office campus.

The Taoiseach and the Finance Minister joined Ryanair Chairman, David Bonderman and Michael O'Leary  to officially open the new 100,000 sq.ft office space in Airside Business Park.

The 200 new jobs in Ireland will be primarily for technology, software development and digital marketing specialists as the company develops its improved 'Ryanair.com' digital platform that was released to the public today.

Ryanair expects that its traffic will grow from 81.5m to over 84m passengers in the coming year, as it opens new bases in Lisbon, Athens, Brussels, Rome. The company also has plans to significantly expands its route network from Dublin and London Stansted airports.

WELCOME ANNOUNCEMENT
Welcoming the announcement, Taoiseach Enda Kenny said: "This Government’s top priority is to get Ireland working again. From an early stage, we have targeted tourism as a key driver of economic recovery and I am pleased to say budgetary measures such as the 9% VAT rate and the more recent cutting of the travel tax to zero have been welcomed by the industry which has responded by delivering new jobs and routes."

the Taoiseach said the Government will utilise the Action Plan for Jobs, to build on the 61,000 jobs created last year.

"I commend Ryanair for delivering on their promises and for their commitment to Ireland. I wish them well as they continue to grow their business in a competitive global market."

TRAVEL TAX
Ryanair Chairman, David Bonderman said he saw the decision to scrap the travel tax as a welcome policy development by Mr Kenny’s government, which he said: " Will enable Ireland’s airline/tourism industry to grow strongly, and it has certainly encouraged Ryanair to invest in, and help create, thousands of new jobs here in Ireland in 2014."

Bonderman said he was excited by the companies growth prospects and noted that Ryanair have recently taken delivery of 175 new aircraft from Boeing.

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