Tesco is to open six new supermarkets creating 1,500 jobs in a £66m expansion of operations in the Republic of Ireland.

The group will open six new stores, replace three existing ones and build a new distribution centre in Dublin.

Of the new jobs, all of which will be placed over the next 12 months, 400 will be at the already-announced distribution centre in Dublin.

Tesco is already the market leader in Ireland with 76 stores.

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