Going Dutch

The Irish Times has reported that the 'Dutch photonics company FAZTech Research is to open a global research centre in Dublin with the potential to create 25 jobs.'

Although only a drop of relief in the ocean of austerity it will be welcome news to a city ravished by unemployment and cut backs.

The industrial giant is expected to enage in a joint projcts with research centres at a number of Irish universities.

The move has been hailed by the Minister for Social Protection, Joan Burton, who claimed that it  'demonstrates once again Ireland’s strengths as a hub for innovation, research and development.'

It is not the first time that Dutch industry has made the headlines in Ireland. In 1975 Tiede Herrema the Dutch industrialist shot to international prominence when he was subjected to a kidnapping ordeal at the hands of republicans whose number included a Portlaoise prison escapee.

Fugro chief executive Paul van Riel, seemnigly confident that there will be no repeat of Herrema's Monasterevin siege stated that the reasons for selecting Ireland for the jobs initiative were that:

key intellectual property was developed in Ireland by Irish researchers and engineers, the vision and enthusiasm of the current workforce and the outstanding professionalism and support by IDA Ireland.

Dr Herrema showing Bullet at Press Conference 08/11/1975

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