The Jobs Minister Richard Bruton says the Irish tax code will prove itself to be compliant.

He made the comments after it was announced that up to 1,000 new jobs are being created at Apple in Cork.

Last month, the European Union ruled that 'sweetheart' tax deals between multinational companies and member states were unlawful.

Reforms outlined by the OECD aimed to close international loopholes, which allow multi-nationals to shift profits to countries with the cheapest tax regimes.

The EU warned it was still investigating tax practices in all of the bloc's 28 nations. A ruling is due soon over the legality of Irish tax arrangements with Apple.

Mr Bruton told Newstalk Lunchtime the Government will continue to defend the Irish tax code.

Apple CEO Tim Cook is due at the company's European headquarters in Hollyhill to make the major announcement.

This is one of the biggest jobs announcements here, since the economic crash.

An official event this event will feature a special musical guest, rumoured to be Bono and U2.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny held a breakfast meeting with Mr Cook in Dublin, ahead of his appearance in Cork.

The head of the tech giant also received a Gold Medal of Honorary Patronage from the Philosophical Society in Trinity College Dublin. 

Mr Kenny tweeted a picture of his meeting with Apple CEO Tim Cook earlier

Apple has been in Ireland since 1980 and employs more than 5,000 people directly, while supporting a further 18,000 jobs across other businesses.

The tech giant will now extend its campus at Hollyhill, Cork to accommodate the new staff, by the middle of 2017.

The Hollyhill plant is central to Apple's manufacturing, supply chain, and customer service operations.

Apple has also announced that it is partnering with the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland to support research in offshore energy technology and is establishing a €1 million Ocean Energy Industry Fund.

Ecstatic reaction

In a statement, the Taoiseach described Apple as one of the country's leading employers: "These new jobs come on top of 1,000 additional jobs already created at Apple in the past 12 months, which brought the workforce in Ireland to over 5,000 in 2015".

Tánaiste Joan Burton says it shows the recovery in Ireland is a "jobs rich" one.

Meanwhile, Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney, who represents Cork South-Central, tweeted his delight at the announcement.

APPLE ANNOUNCE 1000 new jobs in Cork! Fantastic endorsement of Cork and Ireland as a place to build international business.

— Simon Coveney (@simoncoveney) November 11, 2015

Elsewhere, jobs website Indeed has announced it is to recruit 300 new staff in Dublin.