A package of 240 new jobs for the south-east region, involving the expansion of existing industries in Dungarvan, Co Waterford, and in Tipperary town has been announced by the Tanaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Ms Harney.

On a visit to the region, she also met the Clonmel Task Force and told its members that she was confident of a successful conclusion shortly to the efforts to secure a replacement industry for Seagate Technology, which ceased production last February with the loss of 1,400 jobs.

Ms Harney announced 180 new jobs for Dungarvan in a £15 million IDA-Ireland backed expansion of the Stafford Miller plant, which already employs 250 people manufacturing dental care products.

In Tipperary town, she announced the creation of 60 new jobs over the next two years at the Continental Promotion Group (CPG), which carries out data entry and promotion fulfillment operations for a client list of more than 400 major companies worldwide.

This expansion will bring CPG's employment in Tipperary to 100.

Recruitment for the new jobs is already underway and half of them will be in place by the end of the year.

Visiting the factory of Pall Corporation, the healthcare filter manufacturing operation, also in Tipperary, the Tanaiste welcomed the growth in employment there to almost 80 people and said the company was on target to reach 100 employees by the end of the year.

In Clonmel, she told the task force that in five months of intense activity since the Seagate closure, the IDA has brought 12 companies to visit the town with a view to locating there.

IDA Ireland was continuing discussions with potential investors in relation to the acquisition of the Seagate building, she said, adding that she was confident of a successful outcome to these discussions during the summer.

Last April Ms Harney announced an expansion of the Clonmel Healthcare plant involving 200 new jobs.