Tánaiste Officially Opens Kilmallock Teleservices Centre

Mary Harney, Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment today (Monday, 13th July 1998) officially opened the Kilmallock Teleservices Centre in Kilmallock, Co. Limerick.

Speaking at the opening the Tánaiste said "Teleworking and teleservices represent the biggest change to working practices since the industrial revolution with significant potential for new jobs in such areas as telemarketing, teleservices and telecommunications related hardware/software sectors".

"Ireland is an ideal location for teleservices because of its highly developed telecommunications infrastructure and its well educated workforce. As a result, the country has become the leading European location for teleservice centres servicing overseas markets. It is estimated that 30% of new call centres locating in Europe come to Ireland. Over 6,000 people are already employed in more than 50 Pan-European call centres. This dynamic sector is well ahead of target to create over 10,000 jobs within the next two years," the Tánaiste said.

Teleservices are a new form of business which have emerged as part of the evolution in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) caused by continual improvements in telecommunications, allied with the rapid expansion in computer technology.

The Kilmallock Teleservices Centre is part of the ICT Ballyhoura project, an initiative led by Ballyhoura Development Ltd, a LEADER funded group. The initiative aims to achieve a diversification of the economic base in the Ballyhoura Region through the use of ICT.

"We now have the potential to make work independent of geographical location and distance - this is good news for Ireland as a whole, for enterprise and particularly for the balanced and integrated development of the Regions and Rural Communities," the Tánaiste said.

"In April this year the Government approved the establishment of a National Advisory Council on Teleworking, 'to advise on the development of Teleworking Employment opportunities in Ireland and to recommend attainable actions, which will contribute to the realisation of those opportunities'. This is the first step in the formulation of a National Teleworking Strategy and I am looking forward to the report which is due by April 1999," the Tánaiste continued.

The growth of teleservices is being driven by two factors firstly, companies are realising that teleservices provide access to new markets at a faster rate and more cost effectively than traditional distribution methods and secondly, customers are also demanding increased convenience and are reluctant to queue for services which can be more efficiently bought over the phone.

"At my meeting with the Kilmallock Association of Trade and Commerce in November, 1997 it was decided that an Economic Scoping Study would be carried out in the Kilmallock area, in order to highlight potential for jobs and economic activity. I am looking forward to reading the final report which is due by the end of this month," the Tánaiste said.

"I believe that the Kilmallock Teleservices Centre can become an important part of the economic generation of the area. It is an innovative development in the old Neodata premises. I have asked the industrial development agencies to market the centre aggressively," said the Tánaiste.

"I would like to congratulate all who were involved in this excellent initiative, including Shannon Development, Forbairt, the University of Limerick, the County Enterprise Boards, the Kilmallock Association of Trade and Commerce and in particular Mr Diarmuid McIntyre the Project Manager of the Ballyhoura ICT Initiative," the Tánaiste concluded.