120 jobs at new service station near Ennis, but drop in spend on fuel

A new €20m motorway service station on the M18 has been officially opened, creating 120 new jobs.

The Banner Plaza is located to the east of Ennis, at junction 12 on the motorway linking Galway and Limerick.

It is part of The Plaza Group, which owns and operates a number of motorway service stations around the country, including the Barack Obama Plaza.

The Plaza Group is owned by Pat McDonagh, who is also behind the Supermacs fast food chain.

The opening of Banner Plaza, which has been a decade in development, comes against the backdrop of a global fuel crisis.

Mr McDonagh said he is pleased to finally see cars in the forecourt, however, there has been a drop in spend on fuel by motorists as prices rise because of the Iran war.

People are buying what fuel they need and using it sparingly, he added.

He said he fears a recession if the war does not end soon. "It takes away a lot of the disposable income and when that is removed from society then a recession occurs."