The western region is to get 248 new jobs over the next five years following the announcement that five firms are to set up in the Shannon Free Zone and Limerick areas.
One hundred jobs will be created by ACI Worldwide, which provides software for electronic payment systems, at a new global technical resource centre in Limerick.
The jobs, announced this afternoon by Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Micheál Martin, will be high level positions in R&D, software, technical support and finance.
Micheál Martin
Mr Martin also announced the creation of 30 jobs at a new software development centre in the LERO building at the National Technology Park, Plassey, by Danish company Rovsing.
The centre which will focus on contracts for the European Space Agency.
AR Europe Limited will create 21 jobs over the next three years at its new European distribution headquarters in Limerick.
The company is a subdivision of US company AR Corporate, which develops high power, broadband radio frequency amplifiers.
It was earlier announced that two companies are also to be estabished in the Shannon Free Zone over the next five years, with the creation of 97 jobs.
White Horse Insurance Ireland, a wholly owned subsidiary of the global MyTravel Group, will recruit 52 staff.
PC Tools Software, which makes software products designed for securing, protecting and maintaining Windows operating systems, is to take on 45 employees.
Over 7,200 people are employed in 110 companies at the Shannon Free Zone, generating over €3.3 billion in annual sales. Over 700 new jobs were secured at the zone in the last year.