A major sportswear company is to set up in Donegal with confirmation that O’Neill’s Sportswear are to purchase a five-acre site in Lifford.
Donegal County Councillors today agreed to the sale of the site, located at Commons, just on the outskirts of the border town, to O’Neills, at the monty meeting of the Council.
Donegal County Council CEO Seamus Neely said that it was a ‘significant development’
The land is ‘to facilitate the construction of a new warehouse and extension to the existing manufacturing plant in order to sustain and create additional employment’.
“There is an opportunity along the border necklace that is stronger now than ever,” Mr Neely said.
“We want to work with members to ensure that there is a plan to facilitate any regional proposal that comes in. There are opportunities that are industry specific or sector specific.”
Councillor Gerry Crawford said that the move was a ‘step in the right direction for Gifford’.
“There is an economic advantage here, not just in the value of the land, but the value it brings and it opens the doors for other people. There haven’t been any industrial developments like this in Lifford recently, but this will provide much-needed employment.”
O’Neill’s employ over 500 people in Ireland, including a large employment base at their manufacturing plant and retail outlet in Strabane.
Councillor Gary Doherty said: “My hope is that this will provide a shot in the arm for the economic development of Lifford and the east Donegal region.
“I wouldn’t like to think that this is at the expense of Strabane – but in addition to it.”
Councillor Ciaran Brogan said that the Council should have a dedicated team to ‘meet the needs of employers or investors who want to come into our region’.
He added: “We should do everything to make sure that we assist. If a planning application comes in and jobs are involved, we should assist in every way possible in the pre-planning stage.’
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