Tyrone Constitution, News for Tyrone and Ireland

The company, which develops integrated software and professional services solutions, for financial services, telecoms and retail customers, is extending its engineering capabilities to support the company’s growth. Crossvale makes extensive use of Software AG’s webMethods platform and Red Hat’s subscription based solutions, for customers including a multinational Spanish banking group and a Saudi Arabian Telecom Corporation.

Welcoming the company to Northern Ireland Alastair Hamilton, Chief Executive of Invest NI, said: “Once again it is the availability of high quality software engineers that has attracted this US company to Northern Ireland.  This, combined with low staff turnover, low costs and Invest NI support has secured this mobile project and the new developer roles for Northern Ireland.”

“The new roles, with an average salary of £38,000, will be created over the next two years, with the majority of roles in place by the end of 2017.  Invest NI has offered the company support towards the new jobs, helping to leverage nearly £500,000 of investment in the economy through annual salaries.”

Conor Brankin, CEO of Crossvale said: “Our new engineering centre in Belfast will support our company’s growth and help service both our existing US clients, as well new clients in the UK, Republic of Ireland and the Middle East.”

Ian Purdy, Crossvale Europe Managing Director continued: “We spent a lot of time considering where the right location for our new software centre should be. 

The local talent here is hard to beat and we are keen to recruit both experienced developers and recent graduates.

The Crossvale Group was established in 2001 by local Entrepreneur, Conor Brankin, who started his working career with British Telecom in Northern Ireland in 1992, after graduating from The University of Manchester with a BEng, in Electrical and Electronic Engineering.

Mr McCrossan is now seeking an urgent meeting with officials He said: “Bank of Ireland’s plan to close their Castlederg branch represents a serious blow for a rural community in the West. Following today’s announcement, I have immediately written to the Chief Executive expressing my very serious concerns and requesting an urgent meeting about this matter.
“The people who make these decisions need to understand the impact on our community – it should not all be about profits and turnover.
“I am increasingly concerned about the removal of banking services in rural areas across West Tyrone, which assume that all the bank’s customers will be able to use online banking, or simply go to a different branch which may be miles away. These are not realistic options for many and particularly for some of our older population that have used the bank for years.
“I have written to Bank of Ireland seeking an urgent meeting and urging them to seriously reconsider this move.”

SDLP West Tyrone MLA Daniel McCrossan has called for a special dispensation for Northern Ireland in the wake of the EU Referendum vote.


 Mr McCrossan was speaking after party leader Colum Eastwood met European leaders and Heads of State at the PES Presidency meeting in Paris this week.


 He said:


“After successfully leading the campaign for a remain vote in Northern Ireland, the SDLP is now leading the campaign to defend the democratically stated will of people in the North.


“This week we have held discussions with An Taoiseach Enda Kenny, the leaders of Fianna Fáil and the Labour Party, SNP Europe Spokesperson Stephen Gethins MP, the President of the European Parliament Martin Schulz and last night Colum Eastwood addressed European Leaders and Heads of State. We are making the case across this island and across our continent that Northern Ireland must have a special dispensation that reflects and respects the will of people here. A majority voted in favour of remaining in Europe, their decision cannot be ignored and they will not consent to being dragged out.  



“We will work alongside a progressive axis with those of influence in Europe to ensure that as negotiations get underway, they do so in our favour. The island must speak with one voice – united and indivisible in the face of an aggressive isolationist agenda in Britain.