Cork boosted by €75m jobs investment

Almost 300 jobs are to be created in Co Cork through investment worth around €75m, the Tanaiste announced today.

Mary Harney confirmed during a visit to Cork city that the four new firms creating the positions would include a pharmaceutical plant and an electronics company.

The jobs will be filled at sites across the city and county with the help of funding from IDA Ireland.

Some €70m will be invested in a new pharmaceutical operation in Carrigtohill, east Cork, by German-based Altana Pharma AG.

The firm will create 150 jobs by 2006, the majority of which will be for people with higher education qualifications in pharmaceutical production.

Ms Harney said the plant was a welcome addition to the fast growing pharmaceutical sector in Ireland.

“The facility will be one of the company’s global manufacturing sites and the only site in Europe outside of Germany focusing on worldwide tablet supply,” she said.

Meanwhile, Australian-based Minelab Electronics Pty Ltd is to invest more than €1.7m in the expansion of a site in Bandon.

This will create 42 jobs by the end of 2005 and a further six over the following two years.

Designer and manufacturer of radio frequency and microwave devices M/A-COM Eurotec BV is to boost its activities in the Blackrock area of Cork city, increasing a team of highly qualified engineers from 25 to 43.

Ms Harney also revealed that global technology services company Schlumberger is to open a new centre at Little Island, east Cork, doubling its Cork staff from 75 to 150.