Ambitious AOL plans for Dublin

US Internet giant America Online (AOL) has chosen Dublin as its base for all international software development activities outside the US. The company is starting a recruitment drive next week to bring its workforce here to 300 over three years.

Earlier this year, AOL took over Netscape's operations in Ireland after it purchased the US company for $4.2 billion (€3.9 billion) in stock. Netscape makes the most widely used browser for navigating the graphical portion of the Internet - the World Wide Web. The combined company is now expected to join forces with Sun Microsystems to create a powerful competitor to Microsoft.

The establishment of AOL Technologies' international development centre at East Point and CityWest business parks will lead to high-value software development jobs for Irish applicants.

At the moment there are 80 people employed in CityWest - the former Netscape premises - and 30 based in East Point, where AOL Ireland was formerly located. According to Mr Manus Hanratty, general manager of AOL Ireland, AOL is aiming to increase these numbers by another 50 per cent over the next year, eventually bringing the total presence here to 300 within three years.

AOL's software development activities will be divided in the Republic between front and back end applications development at CityWest, and business systems development, including billing and registration technologies at East Point. Localisation functions will account for only less than 20 per cent of the Irish business.