BREWING GIANT DIAGEO are set to invest €200 million into a new brewery site in Kildare, with up to 1,000 jobs set to be created during its construction.

The plan, announced this morning, would see the new brewery built on a greenfield site in Littleconnell in Newbridge, Co Kildare and would focus on the production of ale and lager.

According to Diageo, the facility will brew Rockshore, Harp, Hop House 13, Smithwick’s, Kilkenny and Carlsberg and is part of plans to expand the production of Guinness in St James’s Gate in Dublin to meet additional global demand.

The brewery is set to be carbon-neutral and will be the second largest brewing site in ireland, after St James’s Gate, with a capacity of 2 million hectolitres.

Speaking on the announcement, Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise Leo Varadkar said it was great news for the drink industry and for the local area in Kildare.

“It’s also extremely positive for Newbridge and the local economy in Kildare, with up to 1,000 jobs being created during the construction of the site, and 50 once built. I’m sure there will be many indirect jobs too,” said Varadkar.

Colin O’Brien, the Category Head of Global Beer Supply at Diageo, said that it was a landmark day for the company.

“Our plans for a new, state-of-the-art brewery in Kildare, and the developments at St. James’s Gate, will enable growth in overall beer exports from Ireland,” said O’Brien.

According to Diageo, they will submit a planning application to Kildare County Council in September.

The company says that they expect to open the facility in 2024, after around two years of construction.

Diageo adds that the facility will be entirely powered by renewable energy and will use technology to reduce both energy and water consumption.