Graduates pledge after jobs boost - graduate jobs

Irish Taoiseach Brian Cowen has pledged the country will continue to produce "skilled" graduates after a telecoms firm announced it is to create 100 jobs by moving its European headquarters to Dublin.

Telefonica is to create the posts, which the Taoiseach described as "high-calibre jobs", at its O2 headquarters in the Irish capital.

Mr Cowen said: "I can assure Telefonica that Ireland will continue to invest heavily in education and training for its people to ensure a continuous supply of skilled employees ... thereby enabling them to develop and grow their businesses here."

The new jobs, which will be in place by the end of 2012 in the docklands offices, will provide human resources, support and administration for Telefonica's 27,900 employees across the continent in their native language.

Enterprise Minister Batt O'Keeffe said: "We have demonstrated yet again to the global investment community that Ireland continues to attract high-quality foreign direct investments in these difficult times for the world economy."