Up to 200 jobs could be created over the next few years in Carlow town with the announcement that the US financial services giant Unum is to establish a software operation there.
The IDA-backed company is promising 100 jobs by the end of 2009 with up to a further 100 more planned after that. Today's news follows a number of job losses in the town including the closure of Greencore's sugar operations.
Unum is a provider of insurance services such as disability income and income protection to the US employment market. Last year it generated more than $10 billion of sales.
The company's is establishing what it describes as a strategic software service centre in Carlow, supporting Unum's US operations.
The initial 100 jobs will go to graduates, as will a planned campaign to recruit 100 more into the future.
Meanwhile, there are fears that there may be job losses at the ICT Europe customer support centre in Belmullet, Co Mayo.
The company employs 140 and is the town's largest employer. Workers have been told that they will be addressed by senior management from the US on Monday afternoon. There has been speculation for the past week that the company may be planning to reduce its workforce.
A company spokesman told RTE News said he had no comment on the speculation but staff had been informed that they would be briefed by senior executives on Monday. The company has been in operation in Belmullet for the past five and a half years. Údarás na Gaeltachta, which has provided grant assistance for the company, says it is in negotiations with it in relation to its future in Mayo.
