IDA Ireland is planning to seek planning permission to build a major integrated circuit manufacturing and research campus at Grange Castle Business Park in Clondalkin in Dublin. However, no project in terms of a global tech player has yet been determined for the site.
Seeking pre-approved planning permission in advance of having a project, the agency said, is a significant part of IDA’s international marketing strategy.
Once it gains approval from South Dublin County Council, IDA plans to market the Grange Castle site to leading global players in the IT and biopharma industries throughout the world. Pharmaceutical giant Wyeth operates a major production in the vicinity of the site.
Having ready-made locations available for new strategic investments is one of the competitive advantages Ireland needs to compete globally, IDA said.
In a statement, it added: “IDA Ireland is seeking to build on Ireland’s success as a major centre for the global IT industry by attracting a major integrated circuit manufacturing project to Ireland. Such a high-value and knowledge-intensive investment would copper-fasten Ireland’s leading position in this regard as well as have the potential to create a substantial number of new direct and indirect jobs and contribute hundreds of millions of euro annually to the Irish economy.
“Following a thorough analysis of the needs of the integrated circuit manufacturing industry, the Grange Castle site and the west Dublin area has been selected as a highly attractive location for such an investment.”
During the Nineties South Dublin County Council invested more than €70m to establish and develop a business park at Grange Castle.
It is expected that the planning permission will be lodged before the end of the month for a 200,000sq m facility at Grange Castle.
International consultant Jacobs has been contracted to design the campus in such a way that any multinational technology company would be able to locate there.
Chief executive of IDA Ireland Seán Dorgan commented: “In the face of severe global competition for internationally mobile projects, having an attractive site with planning permission in place for a high-tech manufacturing and research facility will further enhance Ireland’s ability to win these major strategic investments. We hope that this is the beginning of a process that will see another major, high-value, knowledge-intensive project locating in Ireland.”
By John Kennedy
