Life Sciences: South-West’s phenomenal success story

IDA Ireland: regional picture

Cork is home to a cluster of phenomenally successful global leaders in the life sciences industry, a sector which has continually grown and evolved over five decades.

The life sciences sector has been a particularly proud feather in the Industrial Development Authority’s cap.

The sector has kept the global spotlight on Cork throughout, from Pfizer’s 50 years of global success with products such as Viagra, through to this year’s news of Janssen Sciences Ireland investing €300m and creating 200 jobs, BioMarin Pharmaceutical’s expansion with up to 50 new jobs, and GE Healthcare’s €150m new biopharma campus and manufacturing training centre creating up to 500 jobs.

The FDI companies in Ringaskiddy alone have invested over €2.4bn in the region over the past 20 years.

Not surprisingly, behind the big numbers, there is a tale of a thriving local community, proud to be home to such a sustained success story. And at the core of that story is the IDA.

“The Cork region’s strength in attracting investment is built upon a track record that goes back over decades,” said Ray O’Connor, IDA Ireland regional manager for the South-West.

“It is very useful to be able to show the global names already operating successfully in the region.

“Cork is home to seven of the world’s top ten pharmaceutical companies.

"It’s home to eight of the world’s top 15 life science companies, which incorporates med tech and pharma.

"The cluster tells its own success story.”

Mr O’Connor also cites the engagement of UCC, CIT, IT Tralee and Cork ETB in developing tailored education and training courses for the industry.

The dedicated biopharma training at the Cork Training Centre in Carrigaline has been invaluable to the sector, as has the South-West Regional Skills Forum in forging links between industry and educators.

The latest addition to training in the South-West has been the validation modules added to several study programmes in UCC, CIT and IT Tralee.

“There are great connections between industry and the training and education providers,” said Ray O’Connor.

“The colleges are engaging with the companies to tailor specific programmes to meet their needs.”

Another important part of IDA Ireland’s regional strategy has been to acquire land for potential development all over the country.

That has been critical in attracting overseas investment, notably the life sciences companies.

IDA has faced funding challenges to this strategy in recent years, but it does still retain the site at Ballyadam, Carrigtwohill East, known locally as the Amgen site.

“It is vitally important for the IDA, when the country is pitching for investment, that we have the sites available for development,” added Mr O’Connor.

“That’s an important part of the strategy, along with developing a cluster of companies and working to have a pipeline of students equipped with the right skills.”