Employment Legislation / Labour Market in Ireland

Employment Law and practice derives from a number of sources, namely the Irish Constitution, custom and practice and legislation (domestic and EU based decisions of the Employment Appeals Tribunal and the courts).

Labour Force availability and quality in Ireland is one of the key attractions to foreign companies. Ireland has traditionally enjoyed a strong international reputation for the caliber of its third level gradutes and the generally high standard of education within the workforce.

For further information please click Employment - Labour

Enquiry Form for Investing in Shannon Ireland

We are keen to hear from you and to answer any questions you might have.

Use this form to send us your query.

...Enquiry Form

Engineering & Electronic Manufacturing at Shannon Free Zone

There are over 170 international engineering companies currently operating in Ireland employing in excess of 15,000 people. These operations carry out a broad range of activities in key sub-sectors such as automotive, electrical engineering, aerospace, materials handling & automation. These overseas firms export the bulk of their production and account for some 8% of total Irish exports. These are supported by an indigenous sub-supply sector made up of some 450 specialist companies.

Electronics is the largest manufacturing industry in Ireland with over 30,000 people involved in a wide range of sub-sectors including computer systems and sub systems, peripherals and media, electronic components, data communication equipment, control and test systems and consumer electronics.

With low corporation tax, the availability of technical and managerial talent, a sophisticated local sub-supply base and government support, Shannon Free Zone is the ideal location in Europe for companies in the sector.

Element Six (formerly De Beers Industrial Diamonds) is the world’s leading supplier of high quality superabrasives and industrial diamond materials, including both diamond and the complementary superabrasive cubic boron nitride (cBN). Diamond and cBN products are mainly used in the manufacture of tools for such applications as drilling, sawing, cutting, grinding and polishing of different materials including metals, stone concrete, wood, plastics, and glass. Element 6 established an operation in Shannon in 1960 engaged in synthesis, processing and distribution of natural and synthetic diamond product. Following a strategic review of its worldwide operations in 2000, Shannon became a group front-end operation focused on higher value added processing operations, sales and distribution to Europe, Asia, North America and group headquarter operations such as finance, IT and audit. The Shannon operation employs 500 people. The company has also established a state of the art development facility at Shannon to support its marketing activities with technical support and product development.

EI Electronics (EI) is Europe’s largest manufacturer of residential smoke alarms, carbon monoxide alarms and heat alarms. Established in 1988, following a management buyout from U.S. company General Electric, EI is one of Ireland’s leading indigenous electronics companies employing over 250 people and selling to markets worldwide. The Company has achieved market leadership through the development of a continuous stream of innovative new products and through its focus on quality and service. All manufacturing is carried out at the company’s headquarters in Shannon, in a vertically integrated operation approved to ISO 9001. Research and Development and Marketing are also based in Shannon. The Company markets its products worldwide under its own brands “EI Electronics” and “EI Professional”. EI Electronics is market leader in residential fire safety throughout Europe.

Molex Ireland Ltd is a wholly owned subsidiary of Molex Incorporated (Nasdaq: Molx/molxa), the second largest connector manufacturer in the world with revenues of $2.24billion. Molex employs more than 21,225 people in 55 manufacturing facilities in 19 countries. Molex Ireland established at Shannon in 1971 and is now the headquarters for the group’s General Products Division. It introduced R&D operations at Shannon in 1988, and subsequently began to rapidly develop as a major supplier to the European market. It is now a totally integrated operation, with sales and marketing, R&D, product development, manufacturing, logistics and customer support all conducted from Shannon. Molex serves a wide range of connector market segments in Europe including: telecom (mobile and infrastructure); industrial and medical; white goods; automotive telematics; and integrated products (cables, PCBA and sub assemblies).

Precision Castparts Corporation is a $3b public company employing 16,000 people in 80 manufacturing plants in 16countries. PCC manufactures a wide range of metal components with competencies in metal forgings, investment castings, gas turbine machined components and metal injection moulded parts. PCC primarily serves the aerospace, industrial gas turbine and medical sectors. In 2003 PCC acquired SPS Technologies Inc (SPS) which was established in1903. SPS produces high specification fasteners, precision tools, components and specialty materials for critical applications throughout the world in applications as diverse as commercial and military aircraft, automotive, industrial machinery and equipment. SPS began operations at Shannon in 1960 and employs over 450 people. Operational activities are carried out through four divisions– UNBRAKO which manufactures a range of socket screws andother fasteners for industrial and automotive machinery andequipment; Hi-Life Tools & Hi Life Forming Tool Management which manufactures precision forming tools for the metal forming industry and Mohawk Europa which manufactures cutting tools forthe automotive and aerospace industries.