Yahoo Finance Facebook quadruples size of its international headquarters in Dublin
Facebook is quadrupling the size of its international headquarters in Dublin. The company said on Thursday that it had acquired a long-term lease on a 14-acre site that will allow it to take on another 5,000 staff in the Irish capital.
Facebook already employs 4,000 people in Dublin and would have one of the biggest presences of any international technology firm in Ireland if it fills the new site.
Apple and Google each have around 4,000 employees in the country.
The new campus will be on the site of Allied Irish Bank’s headquarters, with staff moving in over three years as the buildings are renovated.
Minister for Business Heather Humphreys hailed the acquisition as a landmark day for Facebook which established its Dublin office a decade ago.
“Without a doubt, this expansion is a huge vote of confidence in Ireland and our pro-enterprise policies,” Ms Humphreys said.
“Above all, it is a testament to the calibre of our rich pool of talent, who have contributed so positively to the company’s global growth in the last decade.”
Gareth Lambe, Head of Facebook Ireland said: “We’re investing here for the long term.
“This significant investment in a 14-acre campus with capacity for thousands more employees demonstrates our commitment to Ireland, our desire to grow our business here and continue to contribute to the economy.”
Ireland has been a magnet in recent years for multinational technology and pharmaceuticals firms, many of whom have moved their European headquarters to Dublin, in part because of its low corporation tax rate.
Banks have also expanded their existing offices in the city, with many moving staff from London, to ensure they maintain access to the EU single market after Brexit.
Facebook announced on Thursday that it would delay plans to make people who buy political adverts verify their identity.
The delay is necessary, Facebook said, because some people were trying to “game” the system.
