A hotel group owned by former Wexford hurling manager, Mr Liam Griffin, is to build a luxury destination spa in Ennicorthy, creating 100 jobs.
The €30 million Monart facility - which is aimed at the high-spending international market - will open later this year.
The Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, Mr O'Donoghue, said the level of investment was unprecedented for Wexford's hospitality sector.
Mr Griffin, managing director of Griffin Hotel Group, said the adult-only facility would fully embody the values of a true destination spa and would not cater for weddings and conferences like other upmarket hotels.
The 70-room development is being built around Monart House, a listed country home, set within 120 acres of mature woodland.
The facility is the latest addition to the south-east based Griffin Hotel Group. The group's other properties include the four-star Ferrycarrig Hotel just outside Wexford town and the three-star Hotel Kilkenny.