Financial services group plans to create 125 jobs in Ireland

The Acorn Life group says 40 of the positions will be at its head office, with the remainder of positions being offered at various locations around the country.

The company's sales director, Keith Butler, said there were a number of reasons for the expansion plans, including an increase in the firm's insurance business in recent months.

He said the improving economy was also helping and that consumers had expressed a desire to do business with an Irish owned financial services company.

Acorn Life employs 350 people at present.

The company says business grew by 50% last year, when it hired more new staff and opened offices in Dublin and Sligo.

The majority of the new positions will be in sales and financial advisory roles but there will also be openings for IT and marketing graduates.