Sun Microsystems, the parent company of Sun Microsystems Ireland, has reported a 45 per cent jump in profits after tax to $123.4 million (£77 million) for the three months to the end of September.

First quarter sales rose by 25 per cent to $1.86 billion, reflecting improved margins. The California based company's Irish subsidiary employs 60 people in Dublin in the group's European software centre. The European market accounts for 26 per cent of group sales.

The group employs 17,000 people worldwide and is ranked at 222 on the Fortune 500 list of top companies. Its annual sales exceed $7 billion.