Following much speculation that a large multinational firm intended to make a substantial investment in Longford, an announcement was made finally by the Tánaiste, Deputy Harney, in December 2000. She declared that the pharmaceutical giant, Cardinal Healthcare, would invest £100 million in Longford in a state-of-the-art European headquarters to house both its manufacturing and technology divisions. It was claimed the project would transform the industrial make-up of County Longford and the surrounding counties.