One thousand new jobs are set to be created in Ireland by US company Abbott.
Abbott create products in diagnostics, medical devices, nutrition and branded generic pharmaceuticals.
According to the company, they currently employ 113,000 people worldwide in the more than 160 countries we serve.
In Ireland they currently employ approximately 3,000 people across 11 sites.
The company has six manufacturing facilities located in Clonmel, Cootehill, Donegal, Longford and Sligo and a third party manufacturing management operation in Sligo.
The 1,000 new jobs announced today are part of a 440 million euro investment.
Abbott is expanding it's existing site in Donegal, and building a brand new plant in Kilkenny.
Business Editor Joe Lynam says the new roles will focus on groundbreaking diabetes devices.
"People who have diabetes constantly have to jab themselves to find out what their blood sugar level is.
"This new device, which Abbott Labs make, will remove that.
"It can send a signal on a regular basis to your mobile phone and that facility, they hope, will be up and running within two years."
Tanaiste and Minister for Trade and Employment Leo Varadkar says government is committed to regional development.
"Crucially, I wanted to make sure that we have jobs and investment in all parts of the country, not just in the big cities.
"This is really positive from the point of view of the balance of regional development.
"New jobs well paid jobs are being created in Kilkenny in the South East and in Donegal in the North West."
The plans for its Kilkenny site at the IDA Business and Technology Park in Loughboy will be subject to planning permission.
