A British pharmaceutical company is to create 85 jobs in Tipperary town. TAGG NPD, a healthcare products company set up four years ago, is to employ 50 people at a research and development unit to be operating by next March. A distribution centre, employing a further 35, is to be established later at Knockanrawley. The announcement is a boost for a town recognised as an unemployment black spot.
On a visit this week to campaign in the Tipperary South by-election, the Fine Gael leader, Mr Michael Noonan, said unemployment in Tipperary town, at 12 per cent, was four times the national average.
The timing of the jobs announcement was unrelated to the by-election, and State agencies were not involved. Mr John Bott-Walters, a biochemist with TAGG NPD, said Tipperary was selected because of its location, the availability of a workforce and the quality of life in the area.
There was a belief that Dublin was more accessible, he said, but it took two hours to get to the airport from most parts of the capital, whereas he had driven to Tipperary from Cork Airport in 1 1/2 hours.
Mr Bott-Walters made the announcement with two local businessmen, Mr Michael Ryan and Mr John Kelly, who had told him of the availability of the Knockanrawley site. The company's best-known product is the hangover cure Verve.
The project was welcomed by the chairman of Tipperary Urban District Council, Mr Patsy Tynan. TAGG NPD has a factory in Cambridge, where it employs 45, and has established a joint venture with Beeline Health Care in Dublin that has a staff of 40.
The jobs in Tipperary, Mr Bott-Walters said, will range from warehouse staff to postgraduate research technicians.
The company had moved into "substantial" profitability this year and was selling in 20 markets including the EU, Canada, the US, Australia, South Africa and China. It has recently developed a market in South America.
