The Government agreed to support a €115 million investment by Abbott Laboratories yesterday, in a move that will create 950 jobs in the healthcare sector.
IDA Ireland will pay almost €10 million in grant aid to the US company over five years to support the creation of 600 jobs in Longford and 350 jobs in Sligo.
The investment, one of the largest made in the healthcare sector in recent years, is being implemented by Abbott's diagnostics division, which will make its Longford and Sligo facilities key manufacturing sites for diagnostic kits.
The Tánaiste, Ms Harney, welcomed the announcement and said the new facility in Longford, and the expansion of an existing site in Sligo, would include skills-based, higher-value processes. The facilities would have a high level of technical support activities, she said.
At least 80 per cent of the new positions will be created for graduates from third-level educational institutions, the company said yesterday.
Abbott already employs 1,800 staff in the Republic at seven facilities and recently announced:
a new research and development investment in Galway;
the start-up of a €55 million pharmaceutical facility in Sligo;
an €88 million expansion in Cavan.
The developments announced yesterday by Abbott will make it the largest diagnostics manufacturing firm based in the Republic.
The new facilities will manufacture diagnostic test kits for a range of diseases and conditions, including AIDS/HIV, pregnancy and organ transplant. Abbott also announced separate investments for Britain and Germany.
