Vodafone Ireland is moving its mobile call centre operation from Irish firm Rigney Dolphin to Newry-based Teleperformance.

The telecoms firm said it had been reviewing its call centre operations, and as a result 26 Vodafone jobs and 290 contract roles currently with Rigney Dolphin will transfer to Teleperformance.

A spokesman for Vodafone Ireland insisted no jobs would be lost as a result of the move, and the current plan was for Teleperformance to take over the existing sites in Dublin and Dundalk, along with the staff currently working there. Staff will be employed on the same terms and conditions, he said.

The bulk of the positions are based in Dundalk. Teleperformance is set to take over the call centres after a six week consultation period with Rigney Dolphin and Vodafone has ended.

However, the Communication Workers' Union criticised the telecoms firm for the move, saying jobs were being exported to Newry.

"Vodafone continues to benefit from a profitable market in Ireland where it has repatriated an incredible €2 billion in profits on its Irish operations to its parent group, while continuing to enjoy one of the lowest corporation tax rates on company profits available anywhere in the world," CWU secretary deputy general secretary, Terry Delany said.

"Vodafone's actions are a further outrageous demonstration of the ultimate consequences of the privatisation agenda that has been pursued by successive Irish governments for far too long."

Teleperformance, which is headquartered in Newry, manages 255 contact centres in 49 markets, and works with Vodafone in a number of markets.

Rigney Dolphin, meanwhile, will continue to work with Vodafone Ireland in its call centre sales and fixed care functions.