RSA Insurance chief executive Stephen Hester said that the company will attract bids from other suitors after Zurich Insurance Group abandoned its £5.6bn (€7.74bn) offer for the British insurer.

Zurich Insurance Group shares slumped yesterday after reporting a profit that missed analyst estimates on a decline in earnings from general insurance. The Swiss firm is considering a bid for the UK’s RSA Insurance Group.

Ireland has seen off international competition to land 112 hi-tech jobs from leading global financial services company Zurich Insurance Group.

Jobs Minister Richard Bruton rejected allegations Ireland would be left relying too much on the IT industry after a leading insurance firm announced it is to create more than 100 jobs at two new IT hubs in Dublin.

More than a hundred new hi-tech, high-value jobs are being created in Dublin.