Years of bad news announcements for Longford were forgotten yesterday with the arrival of Cardinal Health in the town. The promised 1,300 jobs will dramatically change the industrial landscape, representing as they do a 50 per cent increase in industrial jobs in the county.

Cardinal Health, which is based in Dublin, Ohio, is one of the largest healthcare companies in the US. It employs more than 40,000 people on five continents and annual revenue is close to $30 billion (€34.18 billion). The total investment in Longford is worth $100 million but the IDA does not give figures for the proportion it contributes.

While other towns will look on enviously, Longford County Manager Mr Michael Killeen said the process of getting Cardinal to Longford had happened in a short time. The first contacts were made last January.

In the early stages the idea was to find a replacement industry for the Atlantic Mills plant which finally closed 18 months ago. At one stage about 400 people were employed there.

After visiting the premises, Cardinal Health decided they were not suitable for its needs but was sufficiently impressed with Longford to locate there.

A 400,000 sq ft premises will be built on a 70-acre site close to the town. Planning permission will be sought early in the new year and the Tanaiste, Ms Harney, said yesterday she did not envisage "any undue delay".

Ms Harney received a warm welcome yesterday. She had set up an inter-agency group 18 months ago to try to bring jobs to the town.

She said the project was only approved by the Cabinet yesterday morning.

The chairman of Longford UDC, Mr Paul Connell, said it was "an historic day" and Cardinal Health's decision was "a vote of confidence in Longford and its people".

While Longford does not have any third-level institution, it is envisaged that the new plant will draw graduates from the Institutes of Technology in Athlone, Sligo and further afield.

This announcement compensates for a number of major job losses suffered by Longford within the past two years. When Atlantic Mills finally closed down completely, 180 people were laid off; some 116 people were laid off at IEC Electronics although a replacement company was found, and Barbour Threads laid off 130 people when it closed. Another small engineering plant also closed shortly after opening.

Meanwhile a food processing company created 120 jobs.

Most of the new jobs will not become available for more than two years as recruitment will start in 2002. The new plant, described by the IDA as "more of a campus than a factory" will be a manufacturing and information technology centre.

Ms Harney said it would offer "a unique mix of jobs", Ms Harney said, suitable for people with second or third-level qualifications.

"I understand that Cardinal Health's decision to locate in Longford was influenced greatly by its need to attract the numbers of skilled staff it requires, the availability of a suitable site and the need to be close to its European markets," she said.

Mr George Fotiades, president and chief operating officer of Cardinal Health, said the Longford base would bring Cardinal closer to its European customers and allow for necessary expansion.

He added: "We believe Londford is an ideal location for us. It has access to high quality and improving road and telecommunications infrastructures, it is within reasonable distance of port and airport facilities and it has all the benefits of being outside a major urban centre."

Cardinal Health provides products and services for the healthcare industry. Its companies develop, manufacture, package and market products for patient care and distribute pharmaceutical and laboratory supplies, as well as providing consulting services.