Irish dairy co-operative Dairygold has announced plans to invest €117m in its dairy processing facilities at Mallow and Mitchelstown in County Cork.
The investment comes in response to the abolition of milk quotas from April 2015 which will enable expansion in dairy sector.
As cited in Independent, National Dairy Council boss Zoe Kavanagh said: "Economists estimate that expansion which will follow the abolishment of milk quotas in 2015 could be worth €1.3bn per year to our economy, with the potential to create 15,000 additional jobs, from farm gate to dairy processors and spread throughout the counties.
"Nurturing and building on the domestic trust and reputation we enjoy is vital in establishing a secure platform at home for the sustainable export-led growth that will allow the benefits of Irish dairy products to reach a wider community of consumers."
The proposed expansion is expected to create 115 full-time jobs by 2020, in addition to 400 temporary jobs that are created during the construction phase.
Dairygold processed more than 960 million litres of milk in 2013 and exported its products to over 50 countries.
The Irish Dairy Board also plans to build a Centre of Excellence for butter production and packaging in Mitchelstown, in order to grow its Kerrygold brand.
