Hewlett-Packard's inkjet printer manufacturing facility in Leixlip, County Kildare, Ireland

Hewlett-Packard is to create 500 jobs at its Liffey Park Technology Campus in Leixlip, Co Kildare, Co Kildare, in an €18m investment backed by IDA Ireland.

The jobs are being created as the company expands its global services desk in Co Kildare. The firm already employs around 4,000 people in Ireland.

The announcement was made by Taoiseach Brian Cowen this afternoon.

Speaking at today’s announcement, Taoiseach Brian Cowen TD said: “I would like to congratulate the management of HP in Leixlip for winning this investment illustrating that Ireland has the capability and the capacity to continue to attract overseas investment during the current global economic climate. 

“I would like to assure HP that it has my Government’s support as it grows and further embeds its operations here.  Ireland will continue to invest heavily in education to ensure a supply of skilled, multilingual graduates in order to assist companies, such as HP, to win an increasing level of complex outsourcing contracts which will drive the  future success of the service industry”,concluded Cowen.

HP moved its multi-lingual support centre from its Clonskeagh offices to Liffey Park Technology Campus last August.

HP's decision to expand the unit in Ireland to serve some of its global contracts will see hundreds of jobs initially and possibly more in the future.

The multi-lingual technical support centre will employ a range of people, including high end graduates. An element of the operation will also involve research and development.

300 people are to be recruited immediately. The new support service will offer help for HP customers in 16 European languages. HP said the decision to base the jobs here was made because of the country's access to a highly skilled and talented labour pool.

Last month, the company said its employees worldwide would see their pay cut by between 2.5% and 5%.

Martin Murphy, managing director of HP Ireland said that over the next two to three years he would be “looking to double the numbers announced today”.

“Customers will want to locate their projects where the know-how and expertise is based,” said Mr Murphy.

He said HP Ireland won the project because of the track record of delivering global services from Leixlip and the availability of both technical and linguistic skills in the local job market.

HP is the world's leading PC maker.