A professional services firm has announced it is to create an additional 300 jobs in Northern Ireland.

Deloitte said it aims to recruit 1,000 people in Belfast by 2020.

The firm currently has 460 workers in NI and over 40 apprentices are expected to start in September this year.

The announcement was made following a meeting with First Minister Arlene Foster and deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness.

Arlene Foster said: "Deloitte is making this commitment based on the talent  and quality of staff in Belfast and it is a clear indicator of the confidence that the firm has in Northern Ireland as a business friendly economy that will continue to grow and attract investment."

Mr McGuinness said: “Deloitte is already a significant employer in the north of Ireland and I welcome this further commitment to create even more high quality jobs."

Nick Owen, Chairman of Deloitte in the UK, said: "This commitment by Deloitte reflects the confidence we have in Belfast as a great place to do business and a hotbed of talent, particularly for graduates and school-leavers. It also demonstrates our continued commitment to social mobility as a core part of our talent strategy and our desire to continue to further deliver on this commitment in Northern Ireland."

Alliance MLA Chris Lyttle said: "This is fantastic news for Belfast, with Deloitte now planning 1,000 new jobs by 2020 - making Belfast its largest hub outside of London.

"This announcement is a strong vote of confidence in the local workforce, which has the skills and expertise to attract high value jobs.

"A fantastic boost for our regional economy, we should be doing all that is possible to showcase Northern Ireland as a valuable location for other major companies."

(CD)