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Pre-tax profits at the main Irish unit of online giant, eBay increased by 29% to €6.5m last year.

According to accounts filed with the Companies Office, eBay Europe Services Ltd recorded the increase in pre-tax profits after revenues rose 22%, from €46.34m to €56.65m, in the 12 months to the end of December last.

The firm paid a dividend last year of €3.5m and in February of last year, eBay announced the creation of a further 450 jobs here, to be based at an operations centre in Dundalk.

According to the directors’ report, “the business has performed broadly in line with expectations for the year. The number of employees increased as planned as a result of a further expansion of European customer support activities in the company.”

The directors revealed that the company submitted further research and development and other applications to the IDA seeking grant aid towards the cost of developing a Centre of Excellence and Innovation in Dublin.

The company had shareholder funds totalling €34.6m. It also had €13.8m in accumulated profits while its cash increased from €12.3m to €15.8m. It recorded a 37% increase in operating profits from €3.96m to €5.45m.

The number of workers employed by eBay Europe Services increased from 600 to 770 last year with its principal activity stated as providing customer support services, corporate administration services, and other services on behalf of the eBay group.

Staff costs last year increased by 14%, from €34.9m to €39.7m, a figure which included share-based payments of €2.17m.

The firm’s profits last year take account of operating lease charges of €1.4m and non-cash depreciation costs of €2.4m.

Two directors, Dermot Lawton and Nicholas Staheyeff, resigned from the board in 2013.

The 2013 accounts show that a total of €140,000 was paid out under the heading of ‘compensation for loss of office’, though the director or directors who received the amount are not named.