Mary Harney, Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment announced today (Monday 1 February 1999) a £10 million IDA supported expansion plan for healthcare company, Nycomed Ireland, Carrigtohill, County Cork and the creation of an additional 150 jobs.

Making the announcement the Tánasite said "this expansion proves yet again that Cork is a good location for investment and growth. Since I came into office the Government has announced over £600 million in investments in twenty three IDA Ireland supported projects. These have the potential to create 7,000 jobs for the Cork region. I can confirm that companies, both new and expanding, are recruiting over 1,000 people this year giving Cork a huge employment boost."

Nycomed Ireland is the primary production centre for world markets for Nycomed Amersham contrast media. The company's latest proposal enhances its role as a manufacturing centre of excellence for the corporation. Currently there are 146 permanent employees at Carrigtohill, "a total not originally due to be achieved before next year," the Tánaiste commented.

The Tánaiste said that "£20 million has been invested to-date in the Carrigtohill facility which manufactures the full range of non-ionic X-ray and MRI contrast media." Currently the Carrigtohill facility serves the world market outside the U.S. However, following completion of this latest expansion, the Carrigtohill facility will take on service of the Americas (U.S., Canada and South America).

"The new project is expected to take two years from final approval and planning permission to production and it confirms the Cork based production facility as a key-manufacturing component centre for the Corporation which has 11,600 employees world-wide and an annual revenue of £1.4 billion," she added

The products made at Carrigtohill - sterile contrast agents - are used to improve the quality of X-ray and Magnetic Resonance Images, thereby providing a more accurate diagnosis, for example, in the cases of blocked arteries, tumours and other soft tissue diseases. Two new packaging technologies are to be introduced under the expansion plan. These are new types of presentation - pre-filled syringes, and flexipacks. Both are designed to reduce, even further, any risk of contamination prior to patient treatment.

Nycomed Ireland was established in 1993 in a 4,923 square metres (53,000 sq. ft.) manufacturing facility at the IDA Industrial Estate at Carrigtohill. The planned expansion will bring the facility to an overall size of some 9, 290 square metres (100,000 sq. ft.).