The credit card and payments company Mastercard is to create 1,500 jobs in Dublin over the next three to five years.

The firm says these positions will be added to its existing 650-plus employees to create a new tech campus site in Leopardstown.

The capital is to become Mastercard's technology hub for Europe.

Mastercard is to grow its workforce with investments in its artificial intelligence, cyber security, blockchain and user experience teams.

The company says it will be recruiting technologists with strong development and software skills.

Mastercard Ireland opened its operations in 2008 with 36 staff and since then has grown to over 650 people.

Along with these expansion plans, Mastercard will be taking on additional office space at One and Two South County - a newly built campus site in south Dublin.

A Mastercard building at its One South County campus in south Dublin | Image: Supplied

Ed McLaughlin is president of Mastercard operations and technology: "Our Dublin Tech Hub is an innovation engine for our company across Europe and beyond, and we're delighted to be expanding our technology footprint in the city.

"Our new campus will help us continue to attract the best and brightest tech talent, so that we stay on the forefront of emerging tech trends and are well positioned to forge the future of digital commerce across the globe."

Acting Taoiseach Leo Varadkar added: "This is excellent news and further proof of Ireland's place as a global hub for technology.

"The 1,500 jobs being created at Mastercard are high quality, skilled positions, which I'm sure will be much sought after.

"We can never be complacent when it comes to our economy and employment; as a country we must continue to pursue policies which make Ireland attractive to investment and job creation and open to free trade."

Mastercard expects to begin occupying One South County by the end of 2020, with further plans for Two South County when it is ready.

Applications for open roles at Mastercard can be found on the Mastercard Careers website.

Mastercard, which trades on the New York Stock Exchange, operates in more than 210 countries and territories.