Job Spectrum

Northwards Eire has won a major new investment by an American software firm that will create fifty roles in Belfast, the North's Minister for Corporation Arlene Foster has confirmed in Washington.Mrs Foster, who is on a two-city trade mission to the US this week, said First-quarter Labs, which is headquartered in Massachusetts, intends to build a new Western european HQ in Belfast.

First-quarter Laboratories develops and provides network security intelligence software programmes to battle cyber-crime. Its technology is in use by over one thousand companies.

Brendan Hannigan, president and chief operating officer of First-quarter Laboratories , asserted it had selected Belfast due to its worldwide recognized quality of ICT talents and Invest NI support. We're looking forward to commencing recruitment for senior and associate level engineers in the approaching weeks, he said. The US firm's investment in Belfast will counterpoint the city's growing specialism in the field of cyber-security.

Last year Queen's University launched a £30 million Centre for Secure Info Technologies which should develop technology to combat noxious ''cyber-attacks''. First-quarter Laboratories , which is privately held, didn't disclose the full price of its first investment in the North nonetheless it will receive £750,000 of fiscal support from Invest NI.

According to Invest NI the First-quarter Laboratories investment could generate £2 million in wages every year by 2012. Talking in Washington yesterday, Mrs Foster asserted the investment was a prompt endorsement of North Ireland's ability base and general financier appeal.