UP TO 100 information technology jobs are to be created over the next five years at the Kerry Technology Park in Tralee, Co Kerry, by a financial services IT company, which is a subsidiary of a major Japanese bank, it was announced in Tralee yesterday.

Separately, a further 60 jobs are to be created by Fexco, the financial services company, in Killorglin for the online processing and development of Irish heritage certificates. The certificates facility, operated under Government contract, went online yesterday.

The jobs in software development at the Kerry Technology Park will be created by JRI America, which is winding down its software development business in Bangalore, India.

A range of functions including Java software development and testing, network support, data centre support and helpdesk activities will be carried out there.

Recruitment is under way for some 30 positions and it is expected 100 jobs will be created over five years, IDA Ireland said yesterday JRI America is a subsidiary of Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group. which also owns Japan’s second-largest bank, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation.

The Tralee operation will support the group’s Western Hemisphere IT operations including the US, UK, Dubai and potentially other markets in due course, according to the IDA

Ireland offered JRI America “a unique opportunity”, said the company’s chief operating officer, Michael O’Dea. Not only was there strong Government support for innovation and business, but there was also a deep pool of talented people with strong technical skills.

The team in Tralee will be “at the forefront” of JRI America’s objectives to “develop innovative technology capabilities”, he said.