Irish Call Centre Firm Boosts Derry

Extra jobs are 'on the line' with news that a Waterford-based business, Rigney Dolphin - which provides customer service centres for other companies - will soon be setting up a base near Altnagelvin Hospital in Co Londonderry.

The Stomont Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster has announced that Rigney Dolphin is to establish a new customer service centre in Londonderry, creating almost 300 jobs.

She said that Invest NI has offered £1.2m of support toward the investment that will generate over £4million annually through the creation of 297 jobs over the next three years.

Rigney Dolphin, headquartered in Waterford, is a leading outsource service provider, currently employing more than 1,200 people who deliver customer relationship management services and back office support, including payroll and HR functions.

Its clients include many blue chip companies, such as Meteor, BMW, Carphone Warehouse and Airtricity.

The new centre will allow Rigney Dolphin to closely service its Northern Ireland clients and establish a platform for expanding into the UK market.

Arlene Foster said: "This investment is good news as it comes at a challenging time for the economy in the north west and Northern Ireland as a whole.

"Invest Northern Ireland worked hard to secure this investment for Londonderry, tailoring a competitive package of support to ensure the project came to this region.

"It is a success which demonstrates the organisation's ongoing commitment to supporting economic development in the north west and across Northern Ireland," she said.

"Rigney Dolphin will offer new employment and career development opportunities and deliver a considerable contribution to the local economy by generating in excess of £4m annually once the full staff complement is reached.

"The project is the latest in a series of inward investment successes that Invest NI has secured and it further reinforces our growing reputation as a high quality, cost-competitive location for global businesses," she concluded.

Celine Fitzgerald, Rigney Dolphin's Chief Executive Officer, said that NI and GB hold great potential to grow: "Establishing this customer service centre allows us to more closely service our NI clients and is an important strategic development for us as we seek to expand our customer base into the UK.

"We are confident that the new operation will enhance our ability to deliver the highest level of customer care while retaining a sharp focus on growth," she said.

Local Sinn Fein MLA Martina Anderson commented: "This will bring 300 jobs to the city, and that is very welcome, particularly in a week when we hear that unemployment is continuing to rise.

"I continue to work with private and public investors both here and internationally to market our city as a good place to do business.

"We have a huge degree of potential here particularly in terms of our highly-skilled young people and I am hopeful of further such announcements in the future in spite of the economic recession," she said.

Enterprise

In other jobs news this week, Arlene Foster has officially opened Oona Valley Enterprise Centre in Eglish.

It is anticipated that the newly constructed enterprise centre will result in the creation of 21 new jobs for the area.

Speaking at the official opening the Minister said: "The creation of seven new workspace units here at Oona Valley Enterprise Centre has the potential to create up to 21 jobs.

"It can also help encourage local entrepreneurship and stimulate economic growth in the local area.

"The workplace remains a primary source of cross-community contact in Northern Ireland, and provides an ideal means of bringing together people from different community backgrounds and building relationships through pursuit of common interests," she said.

"This development will provide workspace facilities for new and expanding businesses in the manufacturing and tradeable services sectors and will contribute to the economic regeneration of the area."

(BMcC/GK)