More than 60 full-time jobs are to be created in Donegal with the establishment of a new training centre to provide engineers with the skills to work in the upstream oil industry.

The Irish Independent reports that the Feidm Mara Teoranta training and development centre will be based in the Falcarragh business park and will offer five day immersion courses in addition to refresher training.

Senator Brian O' Domhnaill welcomed the announcement, confirming that a local funding board had contributed €150,000 (£133,538) to the centre.

"This new centre in Falcarragh will be the first in Ireland. The training centre will prove beneficial to anyone in Ireland who may wish to work on an offshore rig," he commented.

He added that the new centre builds on the work carried out by the training education authority Foras Aiseanna Saothair in Scotland.

The organisation offers a range of skills-based training courses, including apprenticeships, traineeships and e-learning facilities.

5th Global Education and Training event for Oil and Gas: Exploration and Production