PIZZA DELIVERY chain PHQ by Pizza Hut has announced the creation of 260 new jobs as it expands its number of stores in Ireland.

PHQ by Pizza Hut will open seven new stores in Ireland in 2009, taking its total number of stores to 30, as it seeks to capitalise on a surge in take-home food sales.

John Cronin, director of PHQ by Pizza Hut, said Irish consumers were “without doubt tightening their purse strings” and they were looking for alternatives to dining out during the recession.

Pizza Hut, the world’s largest pizza restaurant and delivery company, entered the delivery market in Ireland in April 2008 when it acquired Godfather’s from John and Patrick Cronin. The two brothers founded Godfather’s in 1996 and are now the master franchisees for PHQ by Pizza Hut in Ireland.

During the last year the majority of the Godfather’s pizza outlets underwent a rebranding and refurbishment.

“There aren’t many companies who can be so positive in this current economic climate, so we are delighted to be able to announce this significant investment,” Mr Cronin said.

Further job-creation in the “knowledge economy” was also announced yesterday as Cerner Corporation, a healthcare software specialist, said it was to set up a new customer-support service at its Dublin headquarters.

The IDA-supported expansion will create up to 40 jobs which will require software skills and in some cases multilingual ability.

The announcement was welcomed by Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Mary Coughlan, who said that Cerner operated in a key sector in which IDA Ireland was trying to attract foreign direct investment.

Cerner set up its Dublin office two years ago and employs 14 people here.

Amanda Green, Cerner Ireland managing director, said the company chose Ireland because of the “availability of a highly-skilled workforce with multilingual capabilities, a competitive cost regime relative to a number of other European locations, and a very favourable business environment”.