Dublin IT Company Invests In NI

There's a business fillip on the way for NI as Stormont Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster (pictured) announced that Invest Northern Ireland is to support a £9.27million investment by Irish telecommunications firm, Intune Networks.

Based in the Republic of Ireland, Intune Networks builds highly advanced optical networking platforms for high definition video and IT services.

The company has now established a new Research & Development Centre in Belfast which will create up to 77 new high-skilled ICT positions by 2010.

Invest NI has offered £983,000 towards the project, which includes part funding from the European Regional Development Fund.

The new telecoms networking platform will focus on improving high speed internet connectivity in cities and towns, known as a Metro Area Network. The Intune Belfast centre will design key parts of the platform and provide test and customer support facilities.

"Intune Networks is a highly innovative business in the competitive telecommunications market.

"It is precisely the type of company that we wish to attract to Northern Ireland, as it brings highly-skilled jobs and spin-off opportunities, further strengthening the local knowledge base," said the Minister.

"Intune's decision to locate this £9.27million centre in Northern Ireland over other locations, is testament to our exceptionally talented ICT skilled workforce, which the company considers to be the perfect fit for its global growth plans and product development activities.

"Working with Invest NI, Intune Networks plans to employ up to 77 people by 2010, delivering over £2.7million annually in additional salaries.

"A broad range of engineering and software skills is required in the area of telecoms systems and component design."

Tim Fritzley, Chief Executive Officer of Intune Networks added: "The Belfast R&D centre will develop key subsystems of our new product line.

"This product line has the potential to solve some of the largest cost-performance problems facing the telecoms world today.

"Our Optical Packet Switch and Transport Platform is gaining credibility within Tier 1 carrier organisations throughout Europe, and this investment will cement that credibility due to the outstanding history of telecoms excellence in the Northern Ireland region."

(BMcC/KMcA)