Ireland Pays Tribute To Apple Founder

Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, has paid tribute to Apple Co-founder Steve Jobs.

He has described Mr Jobs as a "creative genius" who broke down walls in business and opened doors in people’s minds.

Apple announced Job’s death without giving a specific cause. He died peacefully on Wednesday, according to a statement from family members who were present. He was 56.

Jobs had battled cancer in 2004 and underwent a liver transplant in 2009 after taking a leave of absence for unspecified health problems.

He took another leave of absence in January this year, his third since his health problems began. Jobs later resigned in August. He became Apple’s chairman and handed the CEO job over to his hand-picked successor, Tim Cook.

Jobs is credited with being a technology visionary who helped change the world's way of interacting with computing and mobile phones as well as radically reshaping the music industry.

President Barack Obama said: "Steve was among the greatest of American innovators, brave enough to think differently, bold enough to believe he could change the world and talented enough to do it."

Meanwhile Ireland honoured the father of Apple.

The Taoiseach said: "Job’s innovative prowess in the area of technology has brought about a level of access to information for millions that few would have ever foreseen.

"His legacy will be not just his products and business achievements, but also the way in which he altered mindsets in the business world and in everyday life".

Kieran McGowan. Former Chief Executive of the Industrial Development Authority (IDA) said Jobs came to Ireland in the 1980s to announce 250 new jobs for the Apple plant in Cork. Mr McGowan says that although Jobs was a quiet man, his genius for design and innovation was evident. He said that while he was a man of few words, he placed a huge emphasis on innovation and had a different way of looking at technology.

Apple still employs around 2,500 people in Cork.

(LB/CD)