Council signs contracts worth €10m for water schemes
Cork County Council signed three contracts with Ward and Burke Ltd from Galway to carry out the work.
The Carrigtwohill Sewerage Scheme consists of major foul water and storm water sewers to service land to the east and north of Carrigtwohill, including the proposed Amgen biotechnology facility.
Another contract will involve the laying of a 700mm and 450mm water main from Wyse’s Bridge to the Amgen facility and zoned lands to the east of Carrigtwohill.
The third contract will see the extension of the 900mm water main from Little Island interchange to Wyse’s Bridge in Carrigtwohill.
This scheme also incorporates the Glounthaune sewerage scheme. The work is due to start within days and will be completed by July, 2007.
Amgen, the world’s largest biotechnology company, will invest almost €1 billion in the construction of a plant in Carrigtwohill.
The American company is carrying out site works at the moment and has planning permission to build a signalised intersection on the main Cork-Midleton road to facilitate construction traffic.
The ESB visited the site last week to assess its options in dealing with cables which run over the site.
Amgen is also in talks with Iarnród Éireann to provide a rail link to the 133-acre site.
Up to 2,000 people will be employed at the peak of the plant’s construction towards the end of 2007 and during 2008, with upwards of 1,100 people employed once the plant is operational.
Around 750 of the workforce will be third-level science graduates.
Recruitment is expected to get underway towards the end of next year with production set for 2009.
