KODAK yesterday confirmed reports that it is to create 360 additional jobs in Youghal Co Cork by the end of next year, bringing the total employment there to 610.

Last year, the company unveiled plans to invest £18 million in the Youghal facility which came into production just before Christmas. Now, the 250 jobs announced then are to be supplemented by a further 360 jobs bringing employment in the east Cork town plant to 610 and total investment to £57 million.

The Youghal facility is the first of its kind in Europe, and will manufacture writable compact discs, allowing users to encode the discs.

The company says the move is aimed at maintaining and consolidating its position as the market leader in disc manufacture.

Yesterday, the Minister for Enterprise and Employment, Mr Bruton, said the latest announcement by Kodak represented the third strategic investment by the company in Ireland within a year.

Mr Bruton said the 1,000 jobs created at Limerick and Cork would be matched by a similar number in the service industry.