Finance firm and bathroom company to create 90 new jobs

Ninety jobs are to be created after a financial services and luxury bathroom firm today revealed major investments.

Tánaiste Mary Coughlan announced Butterfield Fulcrum, a leading fund administration business, will create 40 jobs over three years at its Dublin office.

The Leeson Street base will support investment schemes in Ireland or offshore, including valuation, accounting, transfers and a share registry.

The Tánaiste, who used the announcement to call for Lisbon Treaty support, said it showed Ireland's reputation as a leading location for the financial sector continues to attract high calibre companies.

"Approval for the Lisbon Treaty will further enhance Ireland's position as a leading location in Europe for foreign direct investment from all industry and business sectors," she said.

Meanwhile, two bosses from a bathroom suite firm which went bust earlier this year have re-entered the business with a new investment, Inver Bathrooms.

John O'Loughlin and John Byrne, from the closed Qualceram Shires business, will take on 50 staff at its Wicklow base.

Inver will distribute and market a range of suites in Ireland, the UK, the Gulf states and the US.

O'Loughlin, Inver Bathrooms chief executive, said it is an exciting venture.

"We established Qualceram in 1988 in what were very challenging economic conditions, and managed to bring that company to a peak where it employed 1,150 employees with a turnover exceeding €100m," he said.

"While economic conditions are currently even more challenging, we have high ambitions for Inver Bathrooms and expect to be a driving force within the market."

Inver will focus on the luxury end of the bathroom market.