Microsoft is set to create 140 full-time jobs, along with 1,800 construction jobs, after receiving planning permission from South Dublin County Council to build four data centres that could involve investment of €900 million. According to the Irish Independent, the local council has just approved the project, which will be built at Grange Castle in Clondalkin. Microsoft, along with other firms including Google, already has data centres at the location. The company is already building a €134 million campus in Dublin and has also spent more than €800 million on its existing data centre operations at Grange Castle. Microsoft, whose Irish managing director is Cathriona Hallahan, first opened its doors in Ireland in 1985 with a small manufacturing facility employing just over one hundred people. Since that time, Microsoft Ireland has grown - employing over 1,200 full time employees and 700 full-time contract staff. Speaking last year, Hallahan spoke about the company’s relationship with Ireland. “We’ve a strong track record of continual investment in Ireland. Dublin is now home to a number of European and global teams and groups, as well as to the first Data Centre located outside the United States – a facility that has grown rapidly over the past five years,” she said. Microsoft's operations in Ireland include software development and testing, localisation, operations, finance, IT, HR and sales and marketing, both here in Ireland and across Europe, Middle East and Africa.