German software firm SAP celebrated the 20th anniversary of the founding of its Irish operation today and it has committed to bringing 150 new jobs to the country.

The new positions will be rolled out over the next 18 months. The company currently employs 1,880 people across 40 lines of business ranging from research and development to sales and customer support. 

SAP has offices in both Dublin and Galway, the company is currently undergoing a process of streamlining its programmes and moving more operations to 'the cloud'.

It also announced details of its 'SAP Digital Boardroom' approach today. It aims to simplify "performance reporting across all areas of business in real time," for its customers, "giving users unprecedented oversight of operations and enabling them to conduct business successfully in today’s digital economy."

Taoiseach Enda Kenny commented on today's announcement:

"I welcome SAP's ongoing commitment to Ireland and I am delighted they have chosen Ireland as the location for a further 150 jobs. This announcement further highlights Ireland’s suitability as a destination for the tech sector.

"This thriving company is exactly the type of business we seek to attract. Our unemployment rate has gone from 15.2% to 6.2% and the Government will continue to work for a robust economy for all our people."

Liam Ryan, Managing Director of SAP Labs Ireland, said: "The knowledge and expertise we have built stems from our employees, which is why SAP’s commitment to creating 150 new job roles in Ireland is so exciting.

"These roles will empower a new wave of SAP employees to drive transformational change and create people-centric solutions for businesses worldwide, ensuring Ireland remains a cornerstone of SAP’s global operations."