Minister Visits Mainstream's Office In Cape Town

The Minister for Agriculture, Food and Marine has visited Mainstream's office in Cape Town to receive a briefing on the firm's operations in South Africa.

Minister Tom Hayes TD was accompanied by Tony McCullagh, Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of Ireland, South Africa.

Mainstream, which was founded by Eddie O'Connor in 2008, has been operating in South Africa since 2009 and was last week named 'Lead Developer 2014' by the South African Wind Energy Association.


During the course of the visit, Minister Hayes met the company's 25 staff and received a briefing on the company's activities including the Jeffreys Bay wind farm which went into commercial operation earlier this year and is currently the largest operating wind farm on the continent of Africa. The company is planning to start construction of three large scale wind farms in South Africa in 2015 and has a significant portfolio of wind and solar projects in development.

Minister Hayes said: "I'm very impressed to see how an Irish company based in Dublin such as Mainstream can come to South Africa and set up a very successful engineering company here in a growing market. I am also impressed with what Ireland has to offer South Africa and indeed the expertise which can help develop the African economy and create jobs."

(CD/JP)