CIARA O’BRIEN
Technology companies announced more than 1,000 jobs across Ireland yesterday.
US software group Concentrix confirmed it is to create around 1,000 jobs in Belfast, more than doubling its local workforce. The company first established an Irish presence three years ago when it acquired a call centre known as Gem.
The investment was hailed by First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness as evidence the North was a prime location for inward investment.
The investment is valued at £36 million (€43.5m) and is the largest single investment supported by the North’s inward investment agency InvestNI.
Mr Robinson said the decision was “excellent news” for the North.
"This major investment is a tremendous boost for our local economy, and is further evidence that Northern Ireland remains one of the most competitive countries in Europe for inward investors seeking talented people in a cost-competitive location."
Local economy
Speaking alongside Mr Robinson at the Concentrix headquarters, Mr McGuinness said: "This is an unprecedented jobs announcement by Concentrix creating over 1,000 jobs and contributing over £18 million a year in wages and salaries to the local economy."
In a separate announcement, Dublin-based IT services company Agile Networks said it would double its workforce over the next 18 months with the the creation of 16 new jobs.
Client base
The company, which was successfully bought out by its management three years ago, has seen its client base grow from just seven customers in 2011 to 53 this year.
Providing IT integration services for organisations such as HEAnet, Analog Devices and the ESB, the company is expected to have a turnover of €7 million this year. To cope with the expansion the company is moving to bigger offices in Blanchardstown.
Also yesterday, online survey group Survey Monkey has confirmed reports it will establish a Dublin base creating 50 jobs.
The business, which was valued in a fundraising last year at $1.35 billion (€974m), is led by David Goldberg, husband of Facebook's chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg.
Meanwhile Enterprise Ireland has teamed up with the prestigious Mayo Clinic in the US to co-develop and commercialise 20 new medical technologies in Ireland over the next five years.
The Government will provide €11.7 million through Enterprise Ireland’s commercialisation fund to bring the technologies to market.
Enterprise Ireland said the aim was to create 10 spin-out companies in addition to the licensing and commercialisation relationships in Ireland for each technology.
