Medical firm to create up to 475 jobs in Donegal

Up to 475 jobs could be created by a Donegal-based medical diagnostics company as part of a major €25m investment over the next six years.

Randox Teoranta, part of global diagnostics group Randox Laboratories, yesterday unveiled plans to increase its workforce from 66 to 540 by 2020.

The investment will be used across improvements in its plant and equipment as well as to fund additional building work and research and development in the coming years.

“Our strategy for Randox Dungloe 202 is a strong demonstration of our commitment to the region, and indicates our commitment to Randox Teoranta as an integral part of our future plans,” said Randox Laboratories managing director Peter FitzGerald. “This is a visionary project with the power to transform the high-value knowledge economy of the region and we are excited by its potential.”

In addition to engineering, Randox Teoranta, which was founded in 2008, is involved in cutting-edge research into conditions such as Alzheimer’s and kidney and liver diseases.

Údarás na Gaeltachta welcomed the announcement, saying it is committed to working with Randox on its strategy to establish the facility in Dungloe as a world-class knowledge centre.

Midlands-North-West Independent MEP Marian Harkin described the announcement as a long overdue boost for Ireland’s most deprived county.

“The fact that such a sophisticated medical diagnostics company can decide to locate a hi-tech industry in one of Ireland’s, and Europe’s, most peripheral and disadvantaged areas raises questions about repeated political and IDA assertions that such projects, by the choice of their promoters, can only be created on the east coast and in the major cities,” said Ms Harkin.

“Hopefully, this project will afford good long-term, secure jobs for the many who are currently unemployed or the many immigrants who will only be too willing to return to Donegal.”