Drugs giant to get green light for €1.3bn plant

UNITED States drugs giant, Amgen, is a step closer to setting up a €1.3 billion plant in Cork - which will create up to 1,500 jobs, the Irish Examiner has learned.

Cork County Council is on the verge of agreeing to allow 133 acres of farmland at Carrigtwohill to be used for industry in future.

The move, set to be agreed at a council meeting in February, means that California-based Amgen would be able to build and run a factory on the land.

Trade and commerce minister Michael Ahern, whose constituency covers Carrigtwohill, welcomed news of the authority's move.

He said: "If Amgen comes here then it will be another tremendous boost for the whole of the Cork region. I have not had confirmation of what the company's decision will be as yet but we are hopeful that it will be a positive decision."

The Industrial Development Agency (IDA) has been in talks with California-based medicines manufacturer about setting up a factory in Cork.

Mr Ahern said the IDA had done a tremendous job in bringing "inward" foreign investment into Ireland.

In 2005 Ireland had the highest rate of inward investment per head of population of anywhere in Europe, he said.

He said he had total confidence in the IDA's ability to persuade firms to come to Ireland - and a decision by Amgen to set up a Cork factory would be a vote of confidence in the country.

Amgen has plants across the globe, employs 14,000 people worldwide and in 2004 sold $10bn US (€8.3bn) of drugs.

If Cork is chosen for the Amgen plant then Ireland will have beaten off competition from sites in Switzerland and Singapore, which are also being considered.

Both Amgen and the IDA have declined to comment on the latest development.

Amgen spokeswoman Mary Klem said: "I cannot yet confirm our decision about the location of our planned manufacturing facility. We expect to make an announcement this month."

The Irish Examiner has learned that Cork County Council manager Maurice Moloney will put a proposal before councillors about the land at Carrigtwohill on February 13.

They will be asked to agree a departure from the county development plan to earmark for industry a 133-acre site of farmland.

The rezoning will have to be agreed by three-quarters of the authority's 48 councillors.

The site is owned by tillage and dry stock farmer William Horgan.

Estimates have placed a value on the land of upwards of €50m.

In 1992 the land was the venue for the National Ploughing Championships and tens of thousands of people came to see the contest.

The Irish Examiner understands that if the Amgen factory is built then up to 1,500 jobs could be created by the US drugs company.