Apple staff at Irish base in Cork evacuated after security alert

Police search finds no evidence of security issue after thousands of staff evacuated

By Telegraph Reporter 18 January 2016 • 1:56pm

Will Brussels force Apple to pay more in tax? — Apple employs around 5,000 people in Cork Credit: Photo: Reuters

Staff at Apple's European headquarters in Ireland were evacuated on Monday while police searched the premises following a security alert.

Police searched three Apple locations in Cork following an alert related to its Holyhill facility at around 9am, but all workers had returned to their desks as of midday, a police spokeman said.

Apple has around 5,000 staff in Cork, where it bases its European operations and also builds iMac computers. Police said the evacuation was at the company's main campus.

Staff at Apple, Lavitt's Quay among 4,000 staff at the company's three #Cork plants evacuated over security threat pic.twitter.com/vZ1nIVhYM7
— Fiona Donnelly (@FionaDonnelly22) January 18, 2016

Apple staff are leaving the centre in Holyhill Cork - they say they haven't been told how long it will be until they can come back.
— Joe Leogue (@JoeLeogue) January 18, 2016

Outside Apple's centre in Holyhill, Cork which has been evacuated this morning. pic.twitter.com/ksPsH5rKIW
— Joe Leogue (@JoeLeogue) January 18, 2016

Staff returning have confirmed that Apple have told them they can come back to work. The evacuation is over. #iestaff
— Joe Leogue (@JoeLeogue) January 18, 2016

"We're assisting in searches with security teams from the facility as a result of a security alert," the police spokesman said, adding that an army bomb disposal team had not been called to the scene.

At midday, the police said nothing had been found. The spokesman did not expand on the nature of the security alert, although the Irish Independent reported that several threatening emails had been sent.