Major US multinational cereal manufacturer, Kellogg's is to set up an operations centre in Swords, Co Dublin. The value of the investment was not disclosed, but the move is expected to lead to 80 new jobs.

Kellogg's already has a sales and marketing operation in Dublin, employing around 50 people. A company spokesman said that the Irish market was key for Kellogg's as Irish people were the biggest consumers per head of cereal in the world. Irish people eat on average seven bowls of cereal per week.

The jobs are expected to come on stream within four or five months. The jobs will be in areas such as marketing, sales, supply chain management, finance and treasury.

They will support the manufacturing and distribution functions for Kellogg's throughout Europe.

The Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Ms Harney, said that the investment was another example of Ireland's ability to attract strategic investments from global companies and was testament to the pro-business and flexible environment Ireland offered to multinationals.

"Kellogg's chose Ireland because we have the skills that the company needs to operate successfully in an expanding Europe, including a well-educated workforce and easy access to the rest of Europe."

Mr Tim Mobsby, Kellogg's area president, said Ireland had proved to be the best option, "being a cost-effective and efficient base with good access and communications to the EU market from a Euro-based location."

Kellogg's, which was founded in 1903, is the world's leading cereal producer and a major convenience foods manufacturer.

It has a market cap of $16 billion. Sales last year were $9 billion. It employs more than 25,000 worldwide.