Dublin - Deputy Prime Minister Mary Coughlan released a statement on Thursday saying networking website Facebook plans to set up its international headquarters in the Irish capital Dublin.

The Dublin headquarters was expected to offer technical and sales support to users and customers in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, the statement said, without giving details of the amount to be invested.

Some 70 positions were expected to be created in Dublin, a spokeswoman for the Irish Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment.

The deputy prime minister said the move was "a terrific endorsement that Ireland can satisfy the needs of such highly innovative and technologically advanced companies as they make critical investments."

Currently based out of California, Facebook was founded in 2004 and claims more than 110 million active users.

People use the website to share photographs and to update friends, family members and work colleagues of events in their lives.