NEWS International has signed a long-term lease on 5,000 sq ft of premium office space in central Dublin.

The new offices, in Huguenot House on St Stephen's Green, will house journalistic, circulation and administrative staff for the group's main newspapers, the Sunday Times, the Sun, the News of the World, and the Times.

The new offices would provide "abundant room" for expanding the company's journalistic activity in Ireland, according to Mr Doug Flynn, the managing director of News International Newspapers.

The company produces Irish editions of the Sun, the Sunday Times, and News of the World and employs a number of journalists on a contract and freelance basis. "I would think there's a lot more to be done in the Republic," said Mr Flynn. The recent departure of Mr Alan Ruddock, who had been working to produce a more comprehensive Irish edition of the Sunday Times, would not "slow down" the company's plans, Mr Flynn added.

Meanwhile, the Belfast Telegraph confirmed yesterday that it had secured a five-year printing contract with News International. Under the contract, the Belfast Telegraph will print the Irish editions of the Sun and either the Sunday Times or the News of the World from August.

About 1.5 million copies of News International titles will be produced in Belfast every week.

Mr Flynn said Irish editions of the company's titles are currently printed at Knowsley near Liverpool and switching to Ireland will enable it to report Irish news and sport more effectively.

The Belfast Telegraph will continue to print the Sunday Business Post and the Irish edition of the Daily Mail but capacity restrictions mean it is likely to end its present arrangement with Mirror Group Newspapers.