Jobs boost for Tipperary Town - "A sign of hope"- Tanaiste Leo Varadkar

Tipperary Town is to receive its first jobs boost since a Government task force was announced for the unemployment blackspot.

This morning An Tanaiste Leo Varadkar announced jobs for Tipperary Town and Dublin by cyber security provider Kontex.

It represents the first significant jobs boost  for the town since the then Taoiseach Leo Varadkar set up the task force in 2019 following protest marches held  in the town  attended by thousands to highlight the jobs crisis.

This morning Tanaiste Leo Varadkar  announced the creation of 75 new jobs at cybersecurity provider Kontex. Kontex are  headquartered in Dublin, have a regional office in Tipperary Town and an ever-growing international  presence where they serve global and local clients with leading cybersecurity services. Kontex are recruiting across several cybersecurity domains including Information  Governance, Cloud Architecture, Managed Security Services, Incident Response, Data Analytics and Security Engineering. 

Speaking at the announcement, Tánaiste Varadkar said, “Recent events have been a stark reminder of the need to protect our digital information and systems. Businesses and organisations must always be one step ahead.  Firms like Kontex provide leadership and expertise, helping us protect against cybercrime. These 75 new jobs in Dublin and Tipperary are a real boost and will draw upon the experienced pool of talent we have here in Ireland.  I am particularly pleased that some of these jobs are in Tipperary town as the town has really struggled in recent years. This is a sign of hope.” 

Founded in 2015 by experienced security professional, Patrick O’Callaghan, Kontex operates in Ireland, UK and the Netherlands providing cybersecurity services and solutions to Fortune 500 companies, private and public sector organisations. The company, which currently employs 55 cybersecurity professionals, will soon expand its international presence  further into a number of strategic locations in the US and Europe. 

“Kontex is on track to become one of the leading providers of specialist security services in Europe” said Patrick O’Callaghan, founder and Managing Director at Kontex. “We aim to expand our team to better meet a growing need to help enterprises solve complex cybersecurity challenges in a rapidly evolving threat landscape. We are actively recruiting for a number of roles which will be based in our offices in Dublin and Tipperary as well as hybrid / remote working opportunities to service our clients around the globe.” 

More than 30 roles are currently open with Kontex for people with a variety of educational and professional qualifications.  Click this link to apply and for more information.

The announcement was welcomed by Tipperary Oireachtas member Senator Garret Ahearn.

“I'm delighted to see such a significant announcement for Tipperary Town this morning from Tánaiste Leo Varadkar.  The investment by Knotex to expand their presence in Tipperary Town is a real vote of confidence for the region and shows their commitment to  provide top quality jobs to Tipperary  Town over the next 12 months.”

“This is also a positive step forward with the work the task force has been doing. Tánaiste Leo Varadkar set up the task force to support this community to achieve its true potential and I believe today’s announcement is another sign of that work succeeding.  I look forward to continue working with the Tánaiste, Tipperary County Council, Local enterprise office and the department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment to continue attracting businesses to Tipperary," said Senator Ahearn.

Deputy Michael Lowry has hailed the announcement , as a major boost for the area. 

‘I have been highlighting the need for investment in Tipperary Town for a long time and this announcement is a vote of confidence for the future’ says Deputy Lowry.