Exciting news for the city today after Kilkenny County Council confirmed that it’s in talks to create up to 500 new jobs with the redevelopment of the Smithwicks Brewery site.
It’s understood that a major foreign financial services company is interested in moving into the site next year after the local authority takes over following the decommissioning of the brewery.
The Council, Connect Ireland and the IDA are involved in the negotiations.
There could be an issues with the timing though as the council won’t be able to start the re-development until next year after Diageo extend its brewing operations this year.
However in a statement today the county council says it hopes to be in a position to begin the development in time to secure the jobs.
The county Manager Joe Crocket will be briefing the newly elected councillors at a series on special meetings this month.
The news has been welcomed by the Kilkenny Chambers of Commerce with President Martin Costelloe very excited by the announcement.
But he also sounded a word of caution and raised some other major issues, such as transport infrastructure and a lack of available housing, that could affect whether the potential deal can be brought to fruition.
