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Tánaiste highlights strategic importance of the technology sector to Ireland at Google event

The Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Eamon Gilmore, T.D., today highlighted the strategic importance of the ICT sector to Ireland at the announcement of the winners of Google’s inaugural ‘Call to Code’ online coding competition for post primary students.

Speaking at the Awards ceremony at Google EMEA HQ, the Tánaiste said:

“The talent and the ingenuity of our people are what make companies invest in Ireland and expand their operations here, as Google has done. We – government and industry together – must continue to develop that talent. I am pleased to see Google playing their part.

“We all know the strategic importance of the ICT sector to Ireland. It accounts for over €70 billion in exports every year. There are 44,500 job openings forecast to arise between now and 2018 in the sector. Initiatives such as Call to Code are to be welcomed for encouraging an interest in this area and providing the opportunity to test student skills.”

This week Dublin County Council granted planning permission for the second of Google’s Irish Data Centres to be built beside its existing data centre facility in Clondalkin. The data centre is expected to create about 300 construction jobs as well as around 60 new full-time positions at the new facility itself.