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UP to 2,000 new jobs will be created by the end of the summer in the wake of a 450 jobs boost at eBay.
Government sources have revealed that there will be at least four or five announcements of jobs in the social-media industry before July.
A large pharmaceutical project being pursued by the IDA for Dublin is also expected to create a couple of hundred posts.
The recruitment upturn comes after it was revealed that eBay will create nearly 450 jobs in Co Louth, less than a year after it said that it would take on 1,000 staff there.
The online auction company revealed yesterday that it would take on the staff over four years at its PayPal subsidiary in Dundalk. Recruitment is starting immediately for staff in sales, customer service and compliance.
Four hundred jobs will be on offer this year, but this figure includes some of the 1,000 jobs previously announced.
The company said the positions were for customer-services phone support for the European market and customer services in PayPal.
Social media
"Recruitment will begin immediately and will initially focus on talent for English-language markets, with as many positions filled from the Irish talent pool as possible," said a spokesperson.
Taoiseach Enda Kenny said the announcement was "very welcome" and that last week's deal on the promissory notes would open the way to further international investment.
He continued: "The fact that global technology leaders like eBay and PayPal are expanding here shows we have the local talent pool, infrastructure and business environment to attract high-quality investments."
"The reaction since last week's agreement has been quite extraordinary. It (the deal) has helped to explain that we (as a country) were serious in meeting our obligations and that has been proven by how our international reputation has been restored."
Louise Phelan, who heads PayPal's operations here, said the announcement of the new jobs was an endorsement of the success eBay has had in Ireland, as well as the overall improvements in the economy.
The company employs around 2,300 in Dublin and Dundalk, barely a decade after opening its first Irish office.
Ms Phelan said: "Ireland has a reputation of getting stuff done. Last year we had the Dundalk site operational within 11 weeks of the contracts being signed. That just doesn't happen elsewhere."
The news was welcomed by the local business community.
Former IDA boss Padraic White, now chairman of the Louth Economic Forum, said the jobs would be "high quality".
He added: "Louth is without a doubt proving itself to be a superb location for global industry leaders."
Michael Curran, director of cross-border and economic development with Louth Local Authorities, said it was "phenomenally good news for the town and the region".
Chamber of Commerce president Paddy Malone said the success of the north-eastern region was due to its infrastructure, including motorways, broadband, Dundalk Institute of Technology and three international airports within 200km.
The plan is the latest in a long line of high-profile positions to be created here by multinational companies in recent months.
A number of other firms, including payments company Yapstone and gaming firm EA Games, have said they will create hundreds of jobs here.
Despite the huge growth in PayPal's business, the company has been criticised for hiring as much as 50pc of its staff from overseas.
Ms Phelan has been unapologetic about that strategy, claiming that if she can't, for example, hire a Turkish speaker in Ireland, then she will go overseas to bring in talent.
Irish Independent
