ÚDARÁS na Gaeltachta has approved 60 new jobs for the Donegal Gaeltacht at their end of year board meeting.
The investment has been widely welcomed as an important step in the strengthening of communities and language in Gaeltacht areas.
The company Cora Tine in Fál Carrach is set to create 53 new posts with the help of Údarás na Gaeltachta investment.
Cora Tine, trading as Kelsius Ltd, is a leading supplier of automation technology for product safety and compliance to the food services and healthcare industries.
The firm specialises in wireless temperature monitoring technology and digital HACCP management systems.
It has invested in significant research and development programmes and developed a new suite of products targeting both their existing and new markets.
Development Executive with Údarás na Gaeltachta, Donncha Ó Baoill, said they have a “long standing relationship with this innovative technological project”.
Mr Ó Baoill said Údarás was “delighted” with the news that so many jobs were being created.
He said the investment was particularly important as it would “provide opportunities for young qualified graduates to return home to work in the Gaeltacht”.
Investment has also been approved for a microbrewery ‘Tá an Craic sna Cnoic’, a project led by the Mac Dáibhéid family who have strong links to the Caisleáin Óir Hotel in Anagaire.
The company hopes to further expand their production and open a small visitors centre, employing a further seven people in the village.
“This is an exciting new project for the food and drinks sector but not only that, it is also an exciting new opportunity for local tourism,” said Mr Ó Baoill.
This year neighbouring village Croithlí saw the opening of the Croithlí Whiskey Distillery. Mr Ó Baoill said it was great to have both a brewery and a distillery in the one “wee parish”.
During the meeting, Údarás na Gaeltachta granted 209 new jobs in Gaeltacht regions across the country.
The investment was approved for projects in a diverse range of areas which will provide significant employment in Gaeltacht regions.
These include manufacturing, the audiovisual industry, the food and drinks sector and medical devices.
Among the projects granted approval was a development in Aran Biomedical, the medical devices company in an Spidéal in Galway which will create 45 new jobs on foot of their planned expansion.
Investment was also approved for the audiovisual company Meangadh Fíbín Teo in Conamara which will create an extra 15 jobs between now and 2025.
In Mayo, grant aid was approved for Aran Woollen Mills which is planning significant expansion and the employment of a further 37 people.
Seacláidí na Sceilge in the Kerry Gaeltacht is also planning further development and the aid granted to them will to enable the employment of 14 more employees.
Speaking after the board meeting, the new Chief Executive, Tomás Ó Síocháin said, “The strong employment figures demonstrate the valuable work being done by Údarás na Gaeltachta.
“Employment is an important step in the strengthening of communities and language in Gaeltacht areas and as chief executive, I am looking forward to working with the team in Údarás na Gaeltachta and building on the work which has been done by the Údarás over a number of years.”
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