300 the magic number
Approximately 300 new jobs are to be created by US pharmaceutical group Pfizer across its Irish operations.
This week the drugs multinational confirmed a €300 million capital investment which will support the further development of existing manufacturing sites in Cork, Dublin and Kildare.
The investment will provide additional manufacturing and laboratory capacity creating close to 300 roles, with additional anticipated construction roles in Ringaskiddy.
Overall, the investment will bring Pfizer’s total Irish workforce to 4,000 employees.
The roles being recruited for include analysts, technicians, engineers, scientists, technologists, quality specialists, data analysts and chemists.
The investment and additional roles are expected to be completed over the next two to three years.
Part of the investment includes the initial stage of a project to construct a development facility on the existing Ringaskiddy site to manufacture pharmaceutical compounds for Pfizer’s clinical trials globally.
Pfizer’s Irish sites currently manufacture leading medicines and vaccines in the areas of arthritis, inflammation, cancer, anti-infectives, haemophilia, pain and stroke.
Commenting on the news, An Taoiseach Micheál Martin said that the announcement is a further vote of confidence in the “skills and talent of Irish people”.
“Over the past five decades, there has been a huge expansion of the sector in this country, creating thousands of jobs and solidifying Ireland’s reputation as a world leader in pharmaceutical innovation and manufacturing.
“Pfizer has made a significant contribution to the Irish economy and this latest investment is a testament to the quality and experience of the workforce here,” the Taoiseach said.
Also welcoming the announcement was CEO of Cork Chamber of Commerce Conor Healy who said that Pfizer is a key investor and employer in the region.
Mr Healy said: “Pfizer is an important player in enriching the pharmaceutical cluster in Cork, and great credit is due to the management and entire Pfizer team for securing the investment for the construction of a development facility on the Ringaskiddy.”
Paul Reid, Country Manager, Pfizer Healthcare Ireland, commented: “Our purpose is to discover breakthrough medicines that change patients’ lives and these new positions are key roles within the organisation and play an important function in the manufacturing and delivery of medicines to patients worldwide.
“Currently we are focused on our Covid-19 efforts, including our vaccine development program. Pfizer is also significantly investing in other innovations across healthcare, such as gene therapy and complex biologics targeting some of the most debilitating medical conditions.”