Dublin-headquartered travel software firm Roomex has raised €8m in funding that will be used to develop its booking platform and drive expansion into new markets. The Roomex platform provides SMEs with an automated, frictionless way for companies to manage their corporate travel, from booking to billing. | The country's imports surged by a fifth (+ €1.3 billion) to €7.76 billion in June when compared with the same month last year, latest figures from the Central Statistics Office show. During the month there was a significant rise in imports in the areas of medical and pharmaceutical products (+12% to €1.24 billion) and organic chemicals (+44% to €399m). | Employment at companies supported by Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland and Údarás na Gaeltachta reached its highest ever level last year, according to the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation. Nearly 430,000 jobs were supported by the State agencies last year. This represents an increase of more than 21,000 jobs - or 5.2% - on the 2016 figure. Over 223,000 of the employees are in foreign-owned firms receiving assistance from Irish State agencies, up 11,200 (5.3%) year-on-year. | An Post is to seek up to 300 voluntary redundancies in a cost-cutting plan that may also see it move its headquarters from Dublin's historic GPO. An Post said that a recent change in work practices identified more than 250 roles that could be eliminated. | Irish-owned online travel agent Click&Go is investing €2m in the opening of an office in Warsaw, Poland; its first office outside of Ireland. The new base is expected to employ 10 full-time staff by the end of the year and the website for Click&Go's Polish operation has just gone live. | British real estate company Round Hill Capital says it is opening an Irish office and making €1 billion available to invest in the rental and student accommodation market here. Newly appointed Managing Director for Ireland John Vaudin will lead Round Hill’s expansion into Ireland.   |||