20,000 sign petition for pharma plan funding
The €4.7 billion Global Pharmaceutical Centre of Excellence (GPCE) is dependant on government financial backing if it is to go ahead.
The signatures were collected in Tralee at the weekend in a unified approach from the business, sporting, social and tourism communities in Kerry to encourage the Government to give the project the green light.
Mr Cowen had been scheduled to receive a delegation in Dublin yesterday, but was unable to do so because of his attendance at a meeting of the Council of State.
However, he is today due to meet the chief executive-designate of the GPCE, Rory Doyle, who will present the petition.
Also present will be Kerry county manager Tom Curran.
Kerry4GPCE is hoping to convince Mr Cowen of the benefits the GPCE will bring to the exchequer over a short period of time so that he will release the €51m funding that is required to start the project in January 2011.
Kerry4GPCE spokesman Paul Stephenson yesterday said there had never before been such team work in relation to any business project in Kerry.
“Everyone who signed the petition did so in the belief that it would demonstrate to the Government that the people of Tralee and Kerry deserve jobs, development and ultimately, a better quality of life,” he said.
“There is no doubt that the total number of signatures would have been considerably higher if it had not been for the inclement weather conditions.”
Mr Stephenson said politics should not play any role in the decision-making process relating to the project, which is said to have the capacity to create almost 5,000 jobs by September 2013.
“We understand that the Taoiseach will come under pressure from some of his cabinet colleagues who would prefer to see the GPCE located in their constituencies,” he said.
However, he urged Mr Cowen to consider the serious unemployment situation in Kerry where 17,000 people are on the live register.
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