Tánaiste Mary Harney announced today (Thursday 15th April 1999) that Hewlett-Packard, is establishing a full Technology Campus at Leixlip, Co. Kildare, with the creation of 200 new jobs mainly for software and computer science graduates.

"This is a major strategic decision by the company with the shift from mainly a solely manufacturing operation to an integrated site. As the first stage in this development Hewlett-Packard has agreed the establishment of a high quality services operation," the Tánaiste said making the announcement at the new Liffey Park Technology Campus.

This is the type of "model" the Government is encouraging to add value to an already highly successful manufacturing operation and to "generate more high skill, high value, employment," the Tánaiste said. "Developments such as this are founded on the people skills - the intelligent resource - now available in Ireland."

The Outsourcing Services Division is Hewlett Packard's fastest growing business segment with a growth of 50% per annum. It will provide information technology infrastructure solutions for third party customers such as the monitoring and management of a customer's network, systems or desktop environment and will identify, diagnose and solve customer's hardware, software and networking issues. The services typically will be performed remotely by connection to a customer's network using leased lines. Alternatively a customer's system can be located at the Campus, with access by the customer also using leased lines.

"The decision by the Outsourcing Services Division to locate the investment at Leixlip will be strategically important for the facility in winning further significant services projects from the parent company in the future. The decision was influenced by the very positive experiences and success of the manufacturing operation, which have been attributed to factors such as the availability of a highly qualified technical workforce and Ireland's strong competitive environment. The Outsourcing Services Division expects these same factors will be major contributors to its success," the Tánaiste said.

Speaking at the announcement the Tánaiste said "This new development at Hewlett-Packard will be a valuable reference for IDA Ireland in attracting further services projects to Ireland and in encouraging other major international companies with solely manufacturing operations here to add on service activities such as shared services, teleservicing, R&D, marketing. The addition of such activities helps to ensure the Irish facility's long term success, 'deepen its roots' at the existing location and further integrate it in the parent company's global operations."