Technology company Sun Microsystems yesterday reported higher-than-expected earnings, and said sales in the Republic were particularly strong.

The firm, which employs 200 people at its European software centre in Dublin, said net profits for the three months to the end of June jumped 37 per cent to $395 million (€388 million) compared to the 1998 quarter. Revenues rose by 22 per cent to $3.52 billion.

Sun makes network servers, workstations and software, and employs more than 29,000 people worldwide.

Sales in the Republic showed growth of more than 80 per cent on the previous year, with revenues in excess of £32 million (€40.6 million), the firm said.