Longford town will get 1,300 new jobs over the next five years in what the Industrial Development Authority (IDA) described as the biggest project to come to the midlands.
Cardinal Health Inc is the second largest drug distributor in the United States and it plans to establish a European manufacturing and information technology centre on a site close to the town. The total value of the investment is $100 million (€114 million).
Local politicians said the news was particularly welcome given that Longford lost more than 500 jobs over the past two years with the closure of three different factories. A special inter-agency group was set by the Tanaiste, Ms Harney, 18 months ago to try to bring new jobs to the town.
The scale of the project, relative to existing industry, is huge. There are currently just 2,500 people employed in industrial jobs in the whole of the county. It is envisaged that the new plant will draw people from within a 30-mile radius.
Construction on a 400,000 square foot premises is expected to begin next year after planning permission is secured and recruitment will not start until late 2002. The jobs will be for people with both second and third level qualifications.
Announcing the investment yesterday, Ms Harney said it was the largest project for the midlands and it would have a major economic impact on the region.
"It is going to bring a lot of people back to this region and I have no doubt the company will have no problem in getting the people they need," Ms Harney said. Cardinal Health would find the workforce was both "highly motivated and highly flexible", she added.
Ms Harney said it was another success in the Government policy of bringing more new projects to Objective One areas following the Teradyne announcement some weeks ago of 740 new jobs for Cavan.
The president and chief operating officer of Cardinal Health, Mr George Fotiades, who travelled to Longford for the announcement, said that deciding to locate in Ireland was a "simple choice".
It gave the company a base near European markets, there were a number of pharmaceutical companies already based in Ireland which Cardinal Health could service, there was "a very positive tax regime" and the IDA had assisted in finding a good location.
The chairman of Longford County Council, Mr Victor Kiernan, paid tribute to the Tanaiste for bringing the jobs to the county. "We are a long time waiting for something big to come to Longford and this is the biggest day we have had in years," he said.
Longford County Manager, Mr Michael Killeen, said the last big jobs announcement was in 1978 when Burlington Industries created 500 jobs. "But there was nothing on this scale in Longford before," he added.
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