Drug manufacturer Jazz opens €50m facility
Jazz Pharmaceuticals today announced that the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Ms. Mary Mitchell O’Connor and the Global Head of Life Sciences of IDA Ireland, Mr. Barry Heavey joined the Chairman and Chief Executive of Jazz, Bruce Cozadd, at a ceremony today to mark the official opening of a new Jazz manufacturing and development facility on a 17 acre site in Monksland in Co. Roscommon, near Athlone, Ireland. The opening was also attended by local Independent TD and Minister for Communications, Climate Change and Environment, Mr. Denis Naughton TD.
This is the first directly owned, managed and operated manufacturing facility built by Jazz and the company has invested approximately €50 million in its development, which commenced in February 2014 and was supported by IDA Ireland. The facility has recently secured full regulatory approval from the United States (U.S.) Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) and the Health Products Regulatory Authority in Ireland. The company expects to employ up to 50 people within three years. Jazz is a global pharmaceutical company with its headquarters in Dublin, Ireland where it employees approximately 100 people, and with operations in multiple cities in the U.S., in Oxford, England and in Villa Guardia, Italy.
Speaking at the event, Mr. Cozadd said, “This new manufacturing and development facility is an investment in Ireland and also an investment in our growing global infrastructure, which will enable us to more closely oversee and control the process of bringing high quality products to patients. It is particularly meaningful for us to open it in Ireland, close to our global corporate headquarters in Dublin,” said Mr. Cozadd. “We were encouraged to come to Roscommon because of the excellent track record of this community in supporting the pharmaceutical industry and the pool of local talent available. We would like to acknowledge the local community, the Roscommon Country Council and IDA Ireland for their continued support and collaboration, and note the remarkable pro-business environment in Ireland that facilitates investments like this one.”
Speaking at the event, Minister Mary Mitchell O’Connor said, “I’m delighted to be present today to mark the official opening of Jazz Pharmaceuticals’ first manufacturing plant in Ireland. Having a global pharmaceutical company of this calibre establish such a facility in Co. Roscommon is hugely significant, demonstrating serious commitment by the company to the region. The jobs created when the facility is operating at full capacity will be of great benefit to the local area and economy.”
“Today’s opening and significant investment by Jazz Pharmaceuticals is hugely important for Monksland. It is a testament to the talent and expertise of the people of Roscommon. We welcome the new facility and greatly appreciate the investment and loyalty to the region shown by Jazz Pharmaceuticals and to the people of Roscommon,” said Minister Naughten.
Barry Heavey, IDA Ireland’s Global Head of Life Sciences said, “IDA Ireland is very pleased to see this significant and strategically important development for Jazz Pharmaceuticals come to fruition. It demonstrates Ireland’s ability to support manufacturing for this sector in regional locations and confirms the company’s commitment to expanding its presence in Ireland.”
