Client News

McDonald’s Restaurants of Ireland announced today that the company is to invest €12 million in its Irish operation with the opening of four new restaurants this year, creating 250 jobs.

The four new restaurants, which will be open by the end of 2010, will bring the number of stores to 82. Three of the new restaurants will open in the Greater Dublin area, starting with a new drive-thru restaurant in Finglas and there will be one regional opening. The 250 positions will be filled by the end of the current year, bringing the number of employees in Ireland to 3,850, up from 3,600 in 2009. The company plans further new openings in 2011 and 2012. Recruitment for the 250 positions will commence in July of this year.

McDonald’s also announced details of an economic analysis prepared by Indecon International Economic Consultants. The overall impact of McDonald’s Irish operations, comprising of labour (wages and salaries) and non labour contributions amounts to €198.7 million annually, based on analysis of 2008 data. In addition, the company is facilitating exports of Irish-origin food produce of €396.4 million to McDonald’s internationally.

Other key highlights from the Indecon report include the following:

The impact of McDonald’s on incomes in Ireland was €77.4 million. Domestic expenditure on wages and salaries amounted to €51.9 million while the indirect and induced income effects totalled €15.5 million.  In 2009, McDonald’s accounted for approximately 3,600 employees in Ireland

Over 250 Irish businesses supply over €15 million worth of goods and services to McDonald’s Ireland each year

• McDonald’s facilitated Irish suppliers to export a total of €194.3 million of Irish origin produce to McDonald’s internationally in 2008

• These expenditures on Irish-origin products are estimated to have created additional inter-sectoral demand of €202.1 million

• The report assesses the economic impact across each region in Ireland from headcount and household incomes and new store openings. In 2008, for example, McDonald’s contributed €9 million to the local region in Cork while the West directly benefited from €5 million to the local economy

• The report also considers other positive dimensions of McDonald’s socio economic impact regarding its support of its crew training and management development schemes and its role in fostering entrepreneurship in Ireland

• Over €6.5 million worth of Irish beef was consumed at McDonald’s restaurants in Ireland in 2008, with over €80 million consumed across the company’s European outlets

John Atherton, Managing Director of McDonald’s Ireland said that today’s announcement was significant for the Irish business, its staff and local suppliers.

“This expansion of our Irish operations and the creation of these jobs highlights the resilience of our business, despite the recession and demonstrates that the core fundamentals of the McDonald’s proposition for the customer are stronger and more relevant than ever.

The findings of the Indecon report demonstrate how embedded the company has become in this market over its 33 years in business and the impact we have on this economy both as a major employer and exporter across Europe of Irish origin food produce.” 

Commenting on the findings of the report, Dr. Pat McCloughan, Divisional Director of Indecon International Economic Consultants said:

“This report is evidence that as a company, McDonalds has a significant impact on the Irish economy, in terms of employment generation, exchequer contribution and export growth. The report also recognises the positive socio economic impact the company plays as a result of its staff development programmes and in fostering entrepreneurship across the country.”

In addition to the opening of the new stores, the company’s ongoing capital investment programme will see a further 13 restaurants refurbished, meaning that by 2011 every McDonald’s restaurant in Ireland will either be a new build or will have been completely refurbished.