Cable & Wireless to sell and lease back Tallaght site


16 Aug 2006

Cable & Wireless (C&W) has said that the sale and leaseback of its Tallaght building in Dublin will have no impact on jobs.

The business telecoms provider has exchanged contracts to sell its building in Tallaght and will be leasing it back over the next three years, the company said.

The firm decided to consolidate its Republic of Ireland operations as a result of last year’s acquisition of Energis. As part of this process, C&W has undergone a review of its working practices and property interests.

C&W has two large buildings in Dublin: a data centre and offices in Clonshaugh as well as its network switch and offices in Tallaght. Over the next three years of the leaseback agreement, the company will gradually move all network equipment to the Clonshaugh facility.

“We are consulting colleagues internally to make sure that this move causes the least disruption to our customers and our business,” the company said. A decision on where best to locate staff in Dublin has not been confirmed but would be reached through consultation, C&W said. “For now, the 40 colleagues based at Tallaght will continue to work there. The sale of the building does not have an impact on jobs.”

C&W said that the sale of the Tallaght site would release funds that can be reinvested in new services to support growth and customer service strategies in Ireland.

Last September C&W acquired the UK and Irish operations of Energis in a transaction valued at around €914.6m. It is believed that the deal has made C&W into the position of third-largest telecoms operator in the Irish market.

By Gordon Smith