Up to 800 jobs are to be created in Blanchardstown, west Dublin, by online auctioneer Ebay and its payment subsidiary, Paypal.
Dublin will be the location for PayPal's European headquarters and eBay's second European customer support centre.
In its first facility outside the United States, Paypal will establish headquarters in Blanchardstown to support its expansion into Europe. The centre will host Paypal's European customer service and fraud prevention service, as well as the European management team.
Paypal believes that its Dublin employee base will grow to about 400 employees by the end of 2005.
In addition, Ebay will establish a second European customer service centre in Dublin to support users in Britain, Ireland and other European countries. Ebay expects to have 300 to 400 employees in this facility by the end of 2005.
The Tánaiste, Ms Harney, said she was 'delighted' at the news.She added: "To attract an established and world-leading Internet company suchas eBay and its subsidiary Pay Pal to Ireland reflects the growing profile ofthe country as a top location for global Internet services."
The Tánaiste said that in the wake of recent Irish investment announcements bythe Google and Overture companies, Ireland was now home to three of the world'shighest-profile Internet concerns.
All of the high-tech moves have followed negotiations with the Irishgovernment's Industrial Development Agency, which targets foreign investment.
Ms Harney declared: "PayPal and eBay's investment confirms that Ireland issucceeding in implementing the stated IDA strategy of making the country aleading location for the digital media industry."
The entry of eBay into Ireland followed yesterday's announcement of 350 newjobs in Co Cork over the next five years through ventures by the Pepsi-Coladrinks company and Delta Homes construction firm.