Center Parcs - one of UK’s largest holiday firms is to announce plans for a major new development in Ballymahon, Co Longford.
The €100m project, a new forestry village is to be built at a Coillte-owned forest near the Longford village, and is expected to create 600 jobs in the construction stage alone. Taoiseach, Enda Kenny is due to launch the project tomorrow.
Planning permission has been lodged for the construction of more than 200 lodges and villas with a swimming pool complex, spas, restaurants and bars on a site leased by Coillte at Newcastle near Ballymahon.
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Employment in the Irish manufacturing sector grew at the fastest rate since May 1998 in March.
The latest Investec PMI index is down slightly from Feburary's 15-year high of 57.5 - falling to 56.8.
Staff numbers increased as a response to rising production requirements - the sector has shown almost consistent growth over the last two years.
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Quintessential Brands, the international group that owns some of world’s most successful spirits brands is making a significant investment in its Irish subsidiary company, First Ireland Spirits - based in Abbeyleix, Co Laois.
First Ireland Spirits is Ireland’s largest independent producer of Irish Cream liqueurs and the €4m investment will upgrade its production facility in Abbeyleix and create twenty new jobs.
The investment will enable further growth in export sales volumes of O’ Mara’s Irish Country Cream, the imminent launch of a new Feeney’s Irish Cream, development of the Dubliner Whiskey brand and expansion into further Irish whiskey products.
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Speculation is growing that C&C is interested in selling its English division. A C&C institutional shareholder has told the Irish Times that the company is “actively evaluating” the future of its English and Welsh operations.
The company has struggled to develop a strong distribution chain in the region.
C&C had plans to buy the UK's Spirit pub group for up to €1bn in 2014 - but that bid failed. The company has indicated to investors that it has no plans to renew its attempts to buy a pub chain.
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Entire front page of today's Telegraph comprises the names of over 100 leading UK business people who have written to the paper in support of Conservative party's business strategies - warning that “a change in course would put recovery at risk.”
The Telegraph trumpets that the letter, which has been signed by the Irish Chief Executive of Tullow Oil, represents the biggest ever endorsement by business leaders of a political party.
Includes names of at least five people who previously backed Labour including Duncan Bannatyne, a former star of Dragon’s Den.
The issue is of more than just spectator interest here. The Conservatives have committed to a referendum on the UK's membership of the EU - while Labour says it will not hold such a poll...
