eBay confirms 800 new jobs for Blanchardstown


16 Sep 2003

Online auction giant eBay has announced that it will alongside its subsidiary PayPal create 800 new jobs in Blanchardstown by 2005 following the successful conclusion of negotiations with IDA Ireland. Recruitment has already commenced for PayPal’s operations.

PayPal will establish its European headquarters in Blanchardstown with 400 of the new jobs involved in hosting PayPal’s European customer services and financial services functions for the European market.

In addition, in 2004 eBay will establish its second customer support centre in Europe to provide services for its UK, Ireland and other European customers and will employ up to an additional 400 people by 2005.

The news comes one week after one of the bleakest periods in Blanchardstown’s employment history following the decision by 3Com to close its manufacturing and assembly facility there with the loss of 640 jobs. It is understood that 3Com will retain an R&D operation in Blanchardstown employing less than 50 people. Industry commentators suggest that the closure of 3Com and the arrival of eBay and PayPal as well as other web giants like Google and Overture are symbolic of efforts by the IDA and the Government to move away from low paying manufacturing and assembly jobs towards highly paid value add finance and research and development jobs.

eBay was established in California in 1995 and has grown to become the leading internet auction sites and one of the top five internet destinations in the world enabling individuals to buy, sell and trade all manner of goods. It’s wholly owned subsidiary PayPal is a market leader in secure online transactions and its technology protects payments on the eBay website.

Commenting on the news, the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Mary Harney, said: “To attract an established and world leading internet company such as eBay and its subsidiary PayPal to Ireland reflects the growing profile of the country as a top location for global internet services. Added to the recent announcements by Google and Overture, Ireland is now home to three of the world’s highest profile internet companies.”

At PayPal in Blanchardstown, the main activities will be customer services, fraud prevention and operations. This will require skills similar to those in large financial institutions and the use of complex software tools to detect fraud.

“Such challenging and skilled employment opportunities are exactly in line with the new breed of inward investment which IDA is continuing to promote intensively right now,” Harney said.

She continued: “The creation of 800 jobs in the digital business sector is an indication of the wealth of skills and knowledge available in Ireland and also reflects the significantly improved levels of access, business services and infrastructure, particularly in telecommunications in Dublin.
“Today’s news is particularly welcome in Blanchardstown, which has experienced significant job losses in recent times.”

By John Kennedy