Taoiseach and minister praise EPS during visit

An Taoiseach Enda Kenny, and Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton, addressing the attendance in EPS.

An Taoiseach Enda Kenny, and Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton, addressing the attendance in EPS.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny visited water and wastewater treatment specialists EPS Group at their head office in Mallow last Friday to address the EPS team. During his speech, Enda outlined how his long term economic plan focuses on creating more and better jobs throughout the country in companies like EPS. Richard Bruton, Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, also addressed the team, stating that the party’s long term economic plan is to deliver 200,000 new jobs

The visit saw a huge turnout with about 200 people in attendance. Welcoming the Taoiseach, Patrick Buckley, Deputy Managing Director at EPS, said: “Recent investment in water infrastructure was led to a boost in business for EPS. Companies like EPS, our partners and supply chain have all been growing and creating jobs over the past number of years. The unprecedented level of investment in Irish water infrastructure by the government through Irish Water is providing a platform for anyone involved in the sector to grow more, and abolishing the USC over the next five years would affect EPS and its employees.”

“The majority of the jobs that EPS has created over the past 24 months and plan to create over the next 2 years are due to our continued growth outside of Ireland, but equally are because of the growth opportunities here in Ireland,” he said.

With 75 new recruits over the past 18 months, EPS has 360 employees currently on its books. A further 50 highly skilled roles will be created over the coming months as construction for a €3.5m design and manufacturing centre of excellence at its Mallow facility starts. This is supported by the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation through Enterprise Ireland. The new manufacturing centre will be an industry-leading centre of excellence for the design and manufacture of key products and assemblies utilised in the construction of water and wastewater treatment plants. EPS will commence construction in March 2016, with an expected completion time of 8 months. Construction will create 35 construction jobs to facilitate the completion of the project.