€500m science project in Galway gets approval

Galway County Council has given the go-ahead for the construction of a new state-of-the- art €500 million human sciences plant for Oranmore.

A 69-acre site beside the Galway Metal company at Glenascaul has been earmarked for the project, which is likely to be the first phase of an ambitious IDA plan to develop 400 acres of land in the Oranmore to Athenry area into a state-of-the-art international science and technology park.

There is speculation that a "big player" in the medicare sector such as Johnson & Johnson is being lined up for the plant in the development of a product extracted from hamster embryos used for the treatment of diseases including cancers.

The local development association hopes that close on 2,000 jobs would be involved in the construction of the 35 metre high plant as well as 500 positions in the plant itself.

IDA Ireland is not making any comment on the proposed human sciences plant until the planning process has been completely cleared - it is waiting to see if there will be any correspondence to An Bórd Pleanála on the issue over the next three weeks.

However, there is growing concern within the IDA and among business and political sectors that the ongoing deferral of the city's proposed outer bypass project could put major industrial projects, such as the Oranmore plant, in jeopardy.

Local PD TD Noel Grealish said that people needed to realise the urgency of the project in terms of job creation in the Galway area.

In July, junior minister Frank Fahey said he was deeply disappointed to learn that the €185 million project had slipped down the priority list with the NRA. The proposed 27 kilometre stretch would link up with the planned new N6 dual carriageway, and the N59 west of Barna.