RTE:

An expansion on this scale would see the number of people directly employed by the company in Ireland increase to 6,000.

Apple currently employs 5,000 people at the Hollyhill facility in the city, a 25% increase in a year.

This is a pretty big expansion, a big commitment to Ireland at a time when the jury is still out on Apple’s tax status.

Apple has become an important employer in Ireland and is also partnered with the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland to support research in offshore energy technology.

It is also establishing a €1m Ocean Energy Industry Fund to support innovative new ways of capturing wave energy and converting it to renewable electricity to power its facilities.

In February Apple revealed plans to build an €850 million data centre in Athenry.

Those are some long term plans.