The Kerry Group, which is developing a global technology and innovation centre specialising in food research in Naas in Co Kildare, is planning to create as many as 1300 new jobs in the country during the coming four years.

The announcement is one of the biggest job creation announcements for the country since the global economic slowdown began, according to Jobs Minister Richard Bruton. Experts say that the deal will be worth €1.25 billion in wages alone during the coming next decade and that it will create additional 1,300 jobs as spin-offs.

During a meeting in May that was attended by Mr Bruton, Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney, senior civil servants and Kerry executives, the government had promised them all support needed in order to secure the deal.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny was represented by country's senior civil servant, Martin Fraser to the government. Jobs agency Enterprise Ireland had established a working group to ensure that the jobs come to the country. It had to fight tough competition from London and Amsterdam.

Mr Kenny said the new centre would "act as an international magnet for our country" and that it was "a message of confidence for our people."