Social networking site Facebook has announced that it is to set up its international headquarters in Dublin.

The Dublin facility will provide a range of online technical, sales and operations support to Facebook’s users and customers in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Facebook’s chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg said the company had chosen Ireland looking at various locations in Europe.

‘The talent pool in Dublin is world-class and recruiting local talent will help us better understand the needs of local users and the regional dynamics that, in turn, can give us better insight into what features matter most,’ she said.

The DAA wants to build a €4 billion development over 350 acres to the east of the airport comprising mainly office space.

It says this would become an economic hub targeting foreign direct investment.

Infrastructure would be put in place to enable executives based at the Dublin Airport City to get from their desks to airport check-in an average of six minutes.

They say it would mean 600,000 square feet of office space, along with retail and hotel facilities and an aviation college.

Although it could take 20 years to build.