THE American software group, Oracle, is to invest £50 million in a tele marketing centre in Dublin which will employ 400 people when in full operation.
The Oracle investment is the latest in a series of tele marketing projects which have already created 2,000 jobs and are expected to create a total of 4,000 jobs by 1998. A spokesman for IDA Ireland said that the authority has some other major names in the pipeline for similar projects and more announcements are likely in the next six months.
Announcing cabinet approval for the Oracle project, the Minister for Enterprise and Employment, Mr Bruton, said "It will be a major boost to the rapidly developing tele marketing sector in Ireland, coming as it does from the world's second largest software company and one of Ireland's top five information technology exporters."
Oracle has already begun recruitment for the centre, which will be located in the East Point Business Park off East Wall Road near Dublin docks. The project is expected to begin operation from June 1st. The company says 70 will be employed in the first month and it is expected that there will be jobs for 200 by the end of the first year. Oracle is developing a 40,000 square foot facility in East Point with the option of an additional 20,000 square feet.
The American software group is only the latest in a series of international groups which have established tele marketing centres in Ireland. Since IDA Ireland targeted such services as a growth sector three years ago, over 30 companies have begun operations in Ireland.
Companies which have established telemarketing include American Airlines, AOL Bertelsman, Best Western Hotels, Dell, Digital, Gateway 2000, ITT Sheraton Hotels, Korean Airlines, Radisson Hotels, Rand NcNally and United Parcel Service.
The head of Oracle's direct marketing division, Mr Peter Scott, said that the company has considered sites throughout Europe, including eastern Europe before deciding to in Ireland. Oracle already employs 130 people in three locations in Dublin.
A supply of young people fluent in languages was one influential consideration for Oracle. "Other key factors included Ireland's telecommunications infrastructure, the availability and quality of a young workforce and the fact that we already had a significant presence in Ireland", said Oracle's general manager in Ireland, Mr Kevin Jones.
Mr Scott added that the jobs will be highly skilled and will involve mostly graduates. Staff in the Dublin centre will respond to technical and other queries for Oracle's European partners, as well as following sales leads.
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