This week’s announcement of a $100m investment in Pfizer plants in Dublin and Ringaskiddy is a positive move in a sector hit by consolidation and the lapse of patents on big-selling drugs like Viagra and Lipitor, reports Kyran FitzGerald

Drugs giant, Pfizer has announced a further $130m (€100m) investment in its manufacturing facilities here, heralding a significant strengthening of its commitment to its Irish operations.

Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer is to invest €100m at two of its sites in Ireland.

Microsoft is to invest $130m (€97m) in the expansion of its data centre in west Dublin, it has been confirmed.

GLOBAL pharmaceutical giant Pfizer is to invest €145 million on expanding its Dublin-based manufacturing facility, but is yet to decide if it will lead to any job increases.

Pfizer is to seek between 60 and 80 voluntary redundancies at one of its plants in Dublin.

OVERSEAS contract wins for Irish engineering firms specialising in the construction of pharmaceutical facilities are expected on the back of a Government-led showcase.

PFIZER has admitted it faces a tough task to sell off the three plants which it yesterday announced it was closing with a combined loss of more than 500 jobs.

South Dublin County Council says it has successfully disposed of several cylinders containing the deadly chemical hydrogen cynanide.

Plans for a new Metro line for Dublin were unveiled today by Transport Minister Michael Cullen.

Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Micheál Martin delivered details of the Government’s new Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation 2006-13 at Grange Castle today.

Around 2,500 jobs could be on the way for Dublin as a result of plans to build a new ‘technology campus’ in the Clondalkin area of the city.

WYETH’S first-quarter earnings rose 44% as sales of its vaccine against childhood infections more than doubled and sales of arthritis treatment Enbrel and other prescription drugs rose.

WYETH said second-quarter profit fell 4.3%, a smaller decline than analysts expected.

THE Enterprise Strategy Group draws on expertise from across the Irish business landscape, with high-fliers from industry and trade unions as well as academics, venture capitalists and entrepreneurs.

Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) has announced an award of €7.7m to University College Dublin's Conway Institute of Biomolecular and Biomedical Research.

INTERNATIONAL drug giant Wyeth has joined forces with University College Dublin (UCD) and Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) to set up a €7.7 million drug research project.

WEST CORK swallowed a bitter pill last week with the loss of 170 jobs at the Schering-Plough pharmaceutical plant in Brinny, Innishannon.

FOUR hundred and fifty positions will be filled over the next 12 months in the Wyeth BioPharma facility in Dublin.

MAJOR job announcements by IDA Ireland are in the pipeline, chief executive Sean Dorgan said last night.

Investment into this country has seen a significant swing into regions outside Dublin, according to the Industrial Development Agency.