More than 400 jobs were announced for the northwest yesterday by Minister for Enterprise Micheál Martin.
Sligo town will get 300 of them in an €800 million international telecommunications company started by one man 15 years ago in a room above a funeral parlour in the Bronx, New York.
Another 123 software development jobs were announced for Letterkenny, Co Donegal.
Industrialists and local politicians welcomed the jobs as a much-needed boost to the region, where there have been heavy redundancies in clothing and other manufacturing sectors in recent years.
Mr Martin paid tribute to the collaboration in the region between industry and third-level institutes. He said it was a major attraction to investors and an important marketing tool for the IDA.
The Minister added: "This investment decision will further strengthen the developing international and financial services industry in the northwest."
The Sligo jobs will come on stream later this year at a new customer service centre for US company Toucan. The centre will service the company's European operations.
Toucan's parent is the global telecoms, entertainment and technology corporation IDT, which has its world headquarters in New York.
Toucan managing director Joseph Blass said Sligo was chosen as IDT's second major Irish-based operation - its European calling-card business is in Dublin - because of the availability of highly qualified and relevantly skilled people, information systems, business knowledge, management skills and suitable premises.
He said: "Sligo was the logical choice. Luckily, the weather wasn't one of our conditions, but we found all else we wanted."
Later yesterday Mr Martin announced the creation of 123 software development jobs over the next three years at the Letterkenny operation of SITA Inc, where 27 people are already employed.
The company is owned by the air transport industry. Its partners include airlines, airports and air transport organisations across the world.
Mr Martin will conclude a two-day visit to the northwest with meetings today with lobby groups concerned over job losses in Ballybofey, Killybegs and Donegal town.
A new €8 million ceramic tile plant was opened yesterday in Co Wicklow with the creation of 30 jobs. The extension to the Turkish-owned company, VitrA, which already employs 80 people at its Arklow premises, has increased its production capacity by almost 60 per cent. VitrA has had a base in the country since 1998 and is aiming to raise its turnover to €20.8 million in 2005.
The new plant, which brings the workforce to 110, will increase the production capacity from 1.2 million to 1.8 million square metres of tiles.
The company, which says it is now the only ceramic tile manufacturer in the Republic, makes porcelain and ceramic tiles and sanitary ware.
Donegal on biometric map: Business This Week page 7