UK customer care and telemarketing firm SLM Connect has announced plans to establish a base in the Donegal Gaeltacht town of Gaoth Dobhair (or Gweedore).

SLM Connect eventually intend to employ 125 people in Gaoth Dobhair Business Park, with the first 25 positions coming on stream in the next few months.

The brand new "SLM Éire Teo" company will be looking for employees in the Gaeltacht with customer care experience, and will also be filling management and supervisory positions.

SLM Connect will be offering business processing outsourcing solutions and a contact centre in the facility. It already employs 130 at its Manchester facility.

Abdul Salam, the company's CEO, told Donegal Daily:

"SLM Connect has grown its business substantially in recent times. The increase in the level of new business contracts presented us with a challenge as the business outgrew its current contact centre facility in Manchester.

"The company requires extra capacity in order to grow and expand. We looked at a number of possible options and after careful consideration we felt that Gaoth Dobhair would be a great location for the next stage of our development.

"SLM Éire will help us to expand our operations further afield, grow our business and provide us with new opportunities".

The development will be supported by Údarás na Gaeltachta. 

Donegal in general has one of the highest unemployment rates in the country, while Gaoth Dobhair has suffered job losses in recent years, with Largo Foods' 2014 closure costing 140 jobs and manufacturing company Sioen announcing that it would be relocating its production to Romania late last year.

Donegal TD Joe McHugh said:

"The move will be a major boost for the Gaeltacht area of Gaoth Dobhair and surrounding areas which have suffered unemployment and emigration in recent years and today’s news is a positive story for our county".

Donegal man James Moran will be returning from the UK to head up the new operation.